National:

Courts, Judges Become Top Political Targets in 2016 Elections
Kansas City Star – Dave Helling | Published: 6/17/2016

Experts say that while complaints about legal rulings are as old as the republic, politicians have started turning virtually every race into a referendum on the courts, threatening public confidence in an independent, apolitical judiciary. Not everyone is equally concerned. In a polarized, dysfunctional political climate, some say, making judges more accountable to voters and taxpayers is healthy and inevitable.

The Kochs’ Powerful Operation Isn’t Aimed at Helping Trump – But It Might Anyway
Washington Post – Matea Gold | Published: 6/20/2016

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) launched ground operations on behalf of Republican incumbents in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin, the earliest the Koch brothers-affiliated group has ever begun making explicit political appeals in the field. But AFP and other groups in the brothers’ political network are mute when it comes to Donald Trump. It is an odd situation for the powerful conservative operation, which was expected to harness its sprawling machinery on behalf of this year’s Republican nominee. But Trump’s incendiary rhetoric and inconsistent policy stances have dismayed Charles Koch, the billionaire industrialist who leads the network. Koch-backed groups are now training their resources on boosting vulnerable GOP Senate candidates.

Federal:

Democrats End Sit-In on House Floor While Promising to Continue to Press for Gun Votes
Washington Post – Karoun Demirjian, Kelsey Snell, and Ed O’Keefe | Published: 6/23/2016

U.S. House Democrats ended their sit-in protest after occupying the chamber’s floor for more than 25 hours, vowing to take the push for new gun curbs to their congressional districts. Even after Republicans had departed for a week-long recess, roughly a dozen Democrats held the floor, with more trickling in, after a night of loud confrontations with the chamber’s GOP leaders. The Democrats had demanded votes on legislation to expand background checks to all commercial sales and to prevent suspected terrorists from being able to buy guns. Republicans dismissed Democrats’ demands, saying they would not reward the minority party for trampling over the chamber’s rules.

Donald Trump Starts Summer Push with Crippling Money Deficit
New York Times – Nicholas Confesore and Rachel Storey | Published: 6/20/2016

Donald Trump enters the general election campaign laboring under the worst financial and organizational disadvantage of any major party nominee in recent history, placing both his candidacy and his party in political peril. Trump loaned his campaign $2.2 million in May and collected $3.1 million in donations, ending the month with less than $1.3 million in bank, a figure more typical for a campaign for the U.S. House than the White House. Hillary Clinton raised more than $28 million in May and started June with $42 million in cash. Trump has a staff of around 70 people, compared with nearly 700 for Clinton, suggesting only the barest effort toward preparing to contest swing states this fall. And he fired his campaign manager after concerns among allies and donors about his ability to run a competitive race.

Fattah Convicted of Federal Corruption Charges
Philadelphia Inquirer – Jeremy Roebuck | Published: 6/21/2016

U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah was found guilty of all charges in a federal corruption trial. He and several associates had been charged with 29 counts related to bribery, money laundering, fraud, and racketeering. Fattah borrowed $1 million from a donor during his unsuccessful campaign for Philadelphia mayor and later repaid part of the loan by using funds from charitable and federal grants received by his nonprofit. Prosecutors said he also used funds from his mayoral and congressional campaigns to help pay off his son’s student loan debt. In addition, the indictment said Fattah accepted bribes while trying to secure an ambassadorship or appointment to the U.S. Trade Commission for former Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Herbert Vederman.

The Next ‘Citizens United’ Is Coming
Center for Public Integrity – Carrie Levine | Published: 6/22/2016

James Bopp, who successfully argued the Citizens United case before the U.S. Supreme Court, is now the lead lawyer in the most prominent of a series of lawsuits attempting to further rescind campaign contribution limits. The case brought by the Louisiana Republican Party addresses restrictions on how state and local political parties use soft money to influence federal elections. Bopp’s clients argue if independent outside groups such as super PACs are permitted to raise and spend unlimited amounts of such money, there is no reason why state political parties, acting independently of federal candidates, should be treated differently. Bopp says he will not rest until there are as few election rules as possible since he believes too many rules lead to more opportunities to game the system.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – California Political Watchdog Targets ‘Shadow Lobbyists’
Sacramento Bee – Taryn Luna | Published: 6/21/2016

The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) is considering a regulatory change to draw “shadow lobbyists,” consultants paid to influence legislation, into the public eye. Loopholes in the law can allow consultants to act as lobbyists without officially registering with the secretary of state’s office, disclosing their clients, or their attempts to sway lawmakers. The FPPC hopes the change increases the incentive for consultants and others working in and around the state’s lobbying industry to keep better records of their activities, while giving the agency more freedom to press cases against shadow lobbyists. The commission is expected to vote on the change at its regularly scheduled hearing on July 21.

Colorado – Colorado Supreme Court to Hear Case Challenging State Ethics Commission’s Role
Denver Post – Joey Bunch | Published: 6/21/2016

The Colorado Supreme Court agreed to hear issues in a case involving then-Secretary of State Scott Gessler, marking the first time the justices have looked at how the Independent Ethics Commission operates since it was created in 2006. The ethics panel found Gessler violated the public trust when he used money from his office discretionary fund to attend a GOP lawyer’s event in Florida. He extended the trip to attend the Republican National Convention (RNC). Gessler paid for his lodging and meals at the RNC with campaign funds. The Supreme Court will look at whether the commission exceeded its jurisdiction to ban gifts of more than $53 a year to public officials and bar them from becoming lobbyists for two years after leaving office.

District of Columbia – Close Council Vote Rejects Campaign Contribution Reform
DCist.com – Rachel Kurzius | Published: 6/21/2016

The District of Columbia Council struck down a proposal to ban campaign contributions from city contractors. Council Chairperson Phil Mendelson had included a provision in a bill to reform the city’s procurement process that would have banned donations from people or businesses that have or are seeking city contracts. He argued that doing so would improve the public perception of the city’s elected officials. But Councilperson Vincent Orange introduced an amendment to strike that language, saying it would lead to “dark money” flooding into city campaigns.

Florida –  Florida Lawmaker Wants to Give Away an AR-15
New York Times – Mike McPhate | Published: 6/21/2016

Florida Sen. Greg Evers, a Republican who is running for Congress, said he would hold a drawing whose prize would be an AR-15, a gun similar to the one used by Omar Mateen to kill 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando on June 12. Evers said he was considering the giveaway since before the mass shooting, intending to burnish his pro-gun credentials in Florida’s conservative western Panhandle, where he is running to fill the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller. But the timing of the announcement, even as funerals for the shooting victims continued, led many commenters on Evers’s campaign site and his Twitter account to express disgust.

Maryland – Here Are the Top Lobbyists in Maryland for the 2016 Legislative Session
Washington Post – Ovetta Wiggins | Published: 6/22/2016

The return of divided government to Maryland has brought about much change in Annapolis. But one thing that has remained the same since the election of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan is Gerard Evans’ upper hand in state lobbying. Evans, a longtime fixture in Annapolis, was the top earner among Maryland lobbyists during the recent legislative session. He reported billing his clients nearly $2 million between November and April, which is about $168,000 more than last year, when he was also the top earner. Bruce Bereano came in second both last year and this year, with reported billings of $1.4 million.

New York – 3 New York Police Commanders Are Arrested on Corruption Charges
New York Times – William Rashbaum and Joseph Goldstein | Published: 6/20/2016

Three New York City police commanders and a business consultant were arrested as part of a wide-ranging federal corruption probe that has also been examining Mayor Bill de Blasio’s campaign fundraising. The latest arrests mark an escalation of an investigation that has led to discipline for nearly a dozen police officers and forced de Blasio to answer questions about whether he engaged in inappropriate fundraising. A criminal complaint accused businessperson Jeremy Reichberg of plying Deputy Chief Michael Harrington, Deputy Inspector James Grant, and others with gifts including prostitutes, sports tickets and expensive trips. As a result, Reichberg was able to secure official favors. De Blasio has said he and his administration have acted legally in all respects. He has not been accused of wrongdoing, and the charges thus far are unrelated to his fundraising efforts.

New York – New York Lawmakers Leave Albany Without Big Ethics Reforms
Albany Times Union – David Klepper (Associated Press) | Published: 6/18/2016

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders agreed to an ethics package that aims to strip pensions from public officers convicted of a felony and add disclosure requirements for political consultants who advise elected officials. The session started in January with some bold proposals to fix the state’s porous campaign finance laws, beef up ethics enforcement, and put limits on the pay lawmakers can make from side jobs. But none passed during the six-month session. For good-government groups and officials long bewildered by Albany’s inaction, the resolution was as disappointing as it was unsurprising.

Oregon – Portland Auditor Says Revolving-Door Lobbying Rules ‘All but Unenforceable’
Portland Oregonian – Brad Schmidt | Published: 6/22/2016

A proposed ordinance in Portland would ban elected officials from lobbying the city and bureau directors from lobbying their agencies for two years after they leave office. It would impose a one-year lobbying ban on other city employees. The ordinance is a compromise. City commissioners expressed reservations about a more restrictive version of the bill that was introduced in April. City Auditor Mary Hull Caballero also wants to raise the fine for violating the city’s lobbying rules to $3,000. The new rules would require any group that spends more than $1,000 lobbying in a quarter to disclose a detailed list of each contact with city officials. Right now, that level of transparency is required only for groups that spend at least eight hours lobbying in a quarter, a provision that would continue.

Wisconsin – As the Government Accountability Board Ends, What’s the Future for Wisconsin Campaign Finance Regulation?
Capital Times – Katelyn Ferral | Published: 6/19/2016

Wisconsin’s Government Accountability Board, born in bipartisanship from a legislative scandal in 2001, was the only nonpartisan model of its kind in the country with six former judges appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. It was armed with a budget unfettered by Legislative oversight to investigate campaign finance, ethics, and lobbying complaints. Its dissolution, which came with a rewrite of the state’s campaign finance rules, is a necessary reform to some but step backwards for others who question whether violations of campaign finance law will be aggressively policed.

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.

Federal:

A New Phase for Trump’s Media War
The Hill – Niall Stanage | Published: 6/15/2016

Media coverage of Donald Trump is shifting in a more negative direction as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee opens another front in his war with the Fourth Estate. The Trump campaign revoked press credentials for The Washington Post, initially objecting to a headline regarding remarks he made about President Obama and the mass shooting in Orlando. But coverage from The Post, as well as The New York Times, on Trump’s speech on the massacre included some phrases that are sure to stoke his ire once again. To Trump’s critics, that language is a sign that news media are making an appropriate and long-awaited effort to hold Trump to account. His supporters, however, will no doubt see it as the injection of liberal opinion into news stories.

After Orlando, a Political Divide on Gay Rights Still Stands
New York Times – Jeremy Peters and Lizette Alvarez | Published: 6/15/2016

The deep divide over gay rights remains one of the most contentious in American politics. And the murder of 49 people in an Orlando gay club has, in many cases, only exacerbated the anger from Democrats and supporters of gay causes, who are insisting that no amount of consoling words or reassuring Twitter posts change the fact that Republicans continue to pursue policies that would limit legal protections for gays and lesbians.  Some say identity politics have overtaken the tragedy in Orlando, with its combustible mix of issues that have long divided Americans: guns, gays, God, and immigration.

On Donald Trump, Republicans Keep Distance in Different Ways
New York Times – Jennifer Steinhauer | Published: 6/15/2016

For Republican lawmakers, there is no avoiding reporters in the Capitol, and no escaping controversy brought on by the party’s presumptive presidential nominee. Some, like the #NeverTrump crowd that includes U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, have it easy. It is no surprise where they stand on Donald Trump, and they consistently criticize him. But not everyone has it so simple.

Russian Government Hackers Penetrated DNC, Stole Opposition Research on Trump
Washington Post – Ellen Nakashima | Published: 6/14/2016

The Democratic National Committee’s computer systems were compromised by hackers linked to the Russian government, in one of the largest known breaches of an American political organization. A security firm hired by the Democratic Party found two known entities with ties to the Russian government had separately hacked the party’s information-technology infrastructure. It was reported that the party’s entire file of opposition research against Donald Trump had been copied. Presidential campaigns can be intelligence gold mines for foreign adversaries. There is immense interest in how future candidates would treat foreign countries, address trade, build their transition teams, and appoint to cabinet level positions.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama – Michael Hubbard, Alabama House Speaker, Is Convicted on 12 Felony Ethics Charges
New York Times – Alan Blinder | Published: 6/10/2016

A jury found Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard guilty on 12 of 23 counts of public corruption, agreeing with prosecutors that he used the influence and prestige of his political offices to benefit his companies and clients. The verdict automatically removes Hubbard from the Legislature and the speaker’s office. Prosecutors accused Hubbard of using his position as speaker and as former chairperson of the state Republican Party to try to obtain $2.3 million in work and investments. The charges included that he directed campaign work to his printing company; solicited investments and help to find employment from lobbyists and company executives; and used the power of his office to benefit his clients through legislative action or lobbying the governor’s office.

California – Former State Sen. Ron Calderon’s Guilty Plea in Corruption Case Marks Blow to Political Dynasty
Los Angeles Times – Joel Rubin and Patrick McGreevy | Published: 6/13/2016

Former California Sen. Ronald Calderon, accused of taking bribes from an undercover FBI agent posing as Hollywood filmmakers, agreed to plead guilty to mail fraud. His brother, ex-Assemblyperson Thomas Calderon, pleaded guilty to a money laundering charge in connection with the case. The Calderon brothers were members of a political dynasty going back several decades in the state before they were ensnared in the federal probe. Ronald Calderon had the undercover agent hire his daughter, make a $5,000 payment toward his son’s tuition, and give $25,000 to a nonprofit group the brothers used to pay themselves. In exchange, Calderon agreed to vote for film tax legislation and hire the undercover agent’s purported girlfriend for his staff.

Connecticut – Agency Approves Settlement That Would End Probe of Democrats’ Spending On Malloy Re-Election
Hartford Courant – Jon Lender | Published: 6/15/2016

The Connecticut Democratic Party and State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) are settling a case involving Gov. Dannel Malloy’s 2014 re-election campaign. The party agreed to make a $325,000 payment to end the dispute over whether it illegally spent money from a federal account on mailers to benefit Malloy, who was participating in the state’s public campaign financing program. The federal account can accept political contributions from state contractors, unlike the party’s state fund. The SEEC will drop a pending lawsuit seeking a court order that the Democratic Party comply with an investigatory subpoena.

Hawaii – Honolulu Ethics Director Quits Over Direction Commission Is Headed
Honolulu Civil Beat – Chad Blair | Published: 6/15/2016

Honolulu Ethics Commission Executive Director Chuck Totto has resigned, effective immediately. Totto’s relationship with Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration was contentious from the beginning with questions about funding by lobbyists for the mayor’s inaugural luau. The rift was furthered with disagreements on the commission’s budget, as well as the validity of city council votes and Caldwell’s support of the rail project in view of contributions to their political campaigns by rail interests. Totto was placed on a one-month leave after an investigation into management procedures, and was hit with a major restriction upon his return.

Nevada – Nevada Bill Kept Legislators from Being Investigated
Las Vegas Review-Journal – Bethany Barnes | Published: 6/11/2016

The Nevada Ethics Commission is set up to police “public officers,” but legislators hold a special standing that grants them some immunity. The idea is that lawmakers need to be free to make decisions without fear of political retribution. As it stands now, politicians can say the ethics panel investigated a complaint and they were cleared, when in reality the commission was simply powerless to take action. League of Women Voters President Sondra Cosgrove said having no Ethics Commission would be better than having one that is essentially a fraud because it can rarely act. “Nevada is ‘Zombieland;’ it looks like we have lots of good laws and enforcement mechanisms, but as soon you try to actually engage with one, you get your brains eaten,” said Cosgrove.

New York – How Joseph Percoco, Cuomo’s Problem-Solver, Became a Problem
New York Times – Jesse McKinley and Vivian Yee | Published: 6/13/2016

It was all but impossible to imagine New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo without Joseph Percoco, his closest aide and the mainstay of his life in politics. But it took only a few days to end the relationship. Federal investigators subpoenaed records related to Percoco from a state ethics board. Then, the governor learned federal agents had raided Percoco’s home, looking for evidence he and his wife had improperly received thousands of dollars from companies that had done business with the state. Cuomo has repeatedly named Percoco and another former aide, Todd Howe, as the prime targets of the investigation led by Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

South Carolina – General Assembly Passes Ethics Reform for Lawmakers’ Income Disclosure, Independent Investigations
Charleston Post and Courier – Maya Prabhu | Published: 6/15/2016

The South Carolina Legislature approved two ethics reform bills after years of trying. One bill would require lawmakers and other public officials disclose sources of private income, while another would provide independent ethics investigations of ethics complaints against legislators. Under the bills, ethics complaints against legislators would be investigated by a revamped State Ethics Commission, which would determine if there is probable cause to the complaints and if so would send them back to House and Senate ethics committees to determine guilt and any penalty. Legislators and public officials currently must report sources of government income, payments from lobbyists, and some government contractors but not private sources.

Virginia – Two Years Ago, Eric Cantor Lost His House Seat. Was It Just in The Nick of Time?
Washington Post – Roxanne Roberts | Published: 6/15/2016

As vice chairperson of Wall Street investment bank Moelis and Co., Eric Cantor circles the globe advising companies on how to position themselves in the global marketplace. Two years ago, he was the rising star of the Republican Party, the presumptive heir to the speakership of the House, until he was humiliated in a primary election by a political novice. Cantor was the first sitting House majority leader in history to lose his congressional seat. Some called it one of the greatest political upsets of modern times. It was also a cautionary tale. In hindsight, that contest was not just a GOP primary election, Cantor says. It was a referendum on establishment politics, broken promises, and angry voters’ growing distrust of Washington. He was at the epicenter of a populist uprising.

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.

Lobbying

New York: “Complaint Charges Unregistered Lobbying for Daily Fantasy Sports” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Ethics

“Common Cause Taps Former Connecticut Director as National President” by Staff for Hartford Courant

“Lawmakers Charge Park Service Chief Oversees Culture of Sexual Harassment” by Lisa Rein for Washington Post

California: “Former State Sen. Ron Calderon’s Guilty Plea in Corruption Case Marks Blow to Political Dynasty” by Joel Rubin and Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times

“Opa-locka Finance Advisor Once Targeted in County Ethics Probe” by Michael Sallah and Jay Weaver for Miami Herald

New Mexico: “Judge Rules AG Can Have Ethics Records in Griego Case” by Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal

New York: “How Joseph Percoco, Cuomo’s Problem-Solver, Became a Problem” by Jesse McKinley and Vivian Yee for New York Times

Elections

“Trump Revokes Post Press Credentials, Calling the Paper ‘Dishonest’ and ‘Phony’” by Paul Farhi for Washington Post

“Russian Government Hackers Penetrated DNC, Stole Opposition Research on Trump” by Ellen Nakashima for Washington Post

Wisconsin’s new Ethics Commission will begin its work on June 30. It is one of two commissions created to replace the Government Accountability Board (GAB).

Twenty-three people submitted applications to be the first commission administrator; the GAB released a list of their names and hometowns Thursday.

Applicants include Paul Dauphinais, head of the Alaska Public Offices Commission, and Bre Injeski, deputy director of New York City’s Conflict of Interest Board. The position is a four-year term subject to Senate confirmation.

National:

Study: Ordinary people struggle to use many state campaign finance websites
StateScoop – Alex Koma | Published: 5/31/2016

The Campaign Finance Institute released a report that examines how easily ordinary people could use state websites to find out how much money each state’s governor collected in campaign contributions in their most recent elections. Researchers found, for example, that users only managed to answer about 54 percent of questions correctly based on the information available on the websites. Fourteen states earned outright negative ratings, while 10 received middling scores. A total of 12 states got high marks from testers. Michael Malbin, the institute’s executive director, said he hopes the study shines a light on how difficult the sites are to use for “political amateurs, people who don’t use them as part of their occupations.”

Federal:

Clinton Celebrates Victory, Declaring: ‘We’ve reached a milestone’
Washington Post – Anne Gearan, Robert Costa, and John Wagner | Published: 6/8/2016

Hillary Clinton claimed the Democratic presidential nomination after decisive victories in the California, New Jersey, and New Mexico primaries, and appealed to supporters of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders to unite with her against Donald Trump. With the Democratic race nearing a close, Clinton savored the biggest night of journey from lawyer, wife, and first lady to senator, secretary of state, and now, the first woman to win a major party’s nomination. The only remaining way for Sanders to win the nomination is to persuade super delegates to effectively overturn the will of the voters.

Exclusive: Trump’s 3,500 lawsuits unprecedented for a presidential nominee
USA Today – Nick Penzenstadler and Susan Page | Published: 6/2/2016

A USA Today analysis of legal filings finds that Donald Trump and his businesses have been involved in at least 3,500 legal actions in federal and state courts during the past three decades. They range from skirmishes with casino patrons to million-dollar real estate suits to personal defamation lawsuits. The sheer volume of lawsuits is unprecedented for a presidential nominee. No candidate of a major party has had anything approaching the number of Trump’s courtroom entanglements. Trump’s history of legal actions provides clues about his style as a leader and manager.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – Builders Pierce California’s Environmental Shield with New Weapon: The ballot
New York Times – Ian Lovett | Published: 6/7/2016

Once heralded as a vital check on corporate influence over government, California’s ballot initiative system, which allows residents to propose laws and approve them by popular vote, has been used to sharply cut property taxes and to enact the country’s first medical marijuana law. But these days, developers are using the process for another purpose: to sidestep state environmental laws and speed major developments. Supporters of the ballot measures say they allow residents to override a broken system in which lawsuits and environmental reviews can delay projects for years. But environmentalists argue the arrangement grants special privileges to developers, even if only a relatively small fraction of residents support a project. And land-use experts say the strategy will become more common unless the state government steps in to curtail it.

California – Countywide Ethics Commission Overwhelmingly Approved
Voice of OC – Tracy Wood | Published: 6/7/2016

Voters approved a ballot measure that will establish an ethics commission in Orange County. The commission will enforce campaign finance law on countywide elected officials. The initiative also gives the ethics panel the authority to enforce the county’s gift ban, lobbyist registry, and parts of the county ethics code.

California – Ex-California Lawmaker Tom Calderon Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering
Sacramento Bee – David Siders and Alexei Koseff | Published: 6/6/2016

Former California Assemblyperson Thomas Calderon pleaded guilty to money laundering as part of a plea agreement in which he acknowledged concealing bribes that his brother, then-state Sen. Ron Calderon, accepted in exchange for supporting the expansion of tax credits for the film industry. Though his conviction carries up to 20 years in prison, prosecutors are requesting that he get no more than one year. The bribes came from an undercover FBI agent who posed as the owner of a movie studio. Thomas Calderon deposited a $30,000 bribe from the undercover agent into a bank account belong to the consulting company he founded, according to the plea agreement. He then wrote a check for $9,000 from that bank account to Ron Calderon’s daughter, the agreement says.

Florida – Bryant Miller Olive Appeals $50 Fine – and Loses
Florida Politics – Jim Rosica | Published: 6/3/2016

The Bryant Miller Olive law firm lost its appeal of a $50 fine for the late filing of one of its lobbyist compensation reports in Florida. Commissioners, though, were split on whether to waive the fine. Some wondered why the firm was fighting a one-day fine; others asked why commission staff bothered to pursue it. Foyt Ralston, a lobbyist with the firm, said it “made every attempt to submit our report.” The company appealed “partially on principle, but this is what we had to do to ask the question of how these things are handled,” Ralston said.

Florida – Hialeah Restaurant Owner Tried to Bribe Commissioner, State Says
Miami Herald – David Ovalle | Published: 6/1/2016

When the owner of Hialeah’s Rancho Okeechobee needed permission to keep the restaurant open late for a special event, he walked into the office of Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose Diaz. “You have a friend in Rancho Okeechobee,” he wrote in a letter, according to police. And inside the envelope: $700 cash. The envelope stuffed with cash led not to political favors but to the arrest of Elezear Gadea, the restaurant owner, who has been charged with offering a bribe, authorities said. He later gave an undercover detective, posing as a commissioner’s aide, $2,000 in cash to help him, according to police.

Missouri – Four Years Later, an Ex-Politician Is Still Benefiting from His Campaign Fund
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Kevin McDermott | Published: 6/5/2016

When Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley resigned in 2012, he kept his $1.1 million campaign fund open. Donors gave the money to further the public agenda he represented. Instead, those funds are furthering Tilley’s lobbying and political consulting work, through a web of private firms and PACs tied to his family members and political allies. Rep. Jay Barnes described a series of newly outlawed maneuvers that are essentially a diagram of what Tilley has done since leaving office: putting campaign funds in long-term investments that do not allow immediate access to the money; moving the money into separate PACs controlled by the former officeholder; and passing the cash to other elected officials while lobbying those officials.

New York – Independent Budgeting a Little-Used Practice for City Watchdog Agencies
Gotham Gazette – Aaron Holmes | Published: 6/3/2016

During the annual budget process, New York City agencies and entities are at the mercy of the mayor and the city council, who ultimately set the budget. But unlike many, the several agencies and officials who regularly monitor or regulate the administration are put in an awkward situation, annually appealing for funding in a dynamic that can hamper their ability to carry out charter-mandated duties and, in some cases, lead to politically-motivated budget cuts.

New York – NY Gov. Cuomo Wants New Limits on Secret Campaign Funds
The Associated Press – David Klepper | Published: 6/8/2016

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to tighten restrictions on laws governing money given to candidates via so-called independent expenditure committees. Legislation announced by the governor would strengthen rules prohibiting independent groups from working with campaigns to elect specific candidates. It also would require greater disclosure of spending by independent groups. Cuomo released a legal opinion from his top counsel that seeks to clarify ambiguities in current rules prohibiting coordination. The opinion, meant to advise prosecutors or groups like the state Board of Elections, lays out several indications of improper cooperation between a candidate and an independent group. They include sharing major donors or office space, or family members or former staffers of the candidate who lead the independent organization.

Ohio – Lobbyist John Raphael’s Influence Spread Swiftly
Columbus Dispatch – Lucas Sullivan | Published: 6/8/2016

A judge sentenced former Columbus lobbyist John Raphael to 15 months in prison for extorting campaign contributions from red-light-camera vendor Redflex to help secure city contracts for the company. Raphael’s actions have resulted in more than 37 subpoenas, a federal grand jury, hundreds of court depositions, the interrogations of more than 50 Columbus and Franklin County employees, and at least two searches by FBI agents. “It became known that if a company wanted to land a contract, it had to go through John,” said a former city council aide. The city council has enacted new ethics laws this year that call for more accountability and monitoring of lobbyists.

Rhode Island – General Assembly Passes Lobbying Reform Act
Newport Buzz – Christian Winthrop | Published: 6/7/2016

Rhode Island lawmakers gave final approval to legislation that will reform the state’s lobbying law. Senate Bill 2361 and House Bill 7388 clarify the definitions of lobbyist and lobbying; provide a framework for investigations and hearings; strengthen and simplify lobbying reporting guidelines while making it easier for the general public to access these reports; and increase maximum penalties for non-compliance to more than double the current amounts. The bills await Gov. Gina Raimondo’s signature.

Wisconsin – What’s in a Name? Ask the Wisconsin Ethics Commission
Minneapolis Star Tribune – Scott Bauer (Associated Press) | Published: 6/9/2016

Members of the newly created commission to regulate ethics and campaign finance laws for Wisconsin officeholders and lobbyists continued their organizational work with the simplest of tasks: deciding on a name. The Wisconsin Ethics Commission, the name board members agreed upon, was created by the Legislature as one of two groups to replace the Government Accountability Board (GAB) starting on June 30. The agency does not yet have an administrator. Twenty-two people applied for the job, said outgoing GAB Executive Director Kevin Kennedy.

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.

Lobbying

Illinois: “Rauner Board Asked Builders to Lobby Lawmakers” by The Associated Press for Crain’s Chicago Business

Nevada: “Council Votes to Delay Passing Lobbyist Registration Ordinance” by Anjeanette Damon for Reno Gazette-Journal

Oregon: “As Spending on Lobbying Increases, Transparency Remains Murky” by Hillary Borrud for East Oregonian

Campaign Finance

Kansas: “Amid Criticism, Kansas Launches New Campaign Finance Website” by Peter Hancock for Lawrence Journal World

Montana: “Judge Issues Stay Reinstating Campaign Contribution Limits from Political Parties” by Holly Michels for Helena Independent Record

Ethics

Rhode Island: “Ethics Commission Considers Election-Season Blackout” by Matt O’Brien (Associated Press) for WJAR

Elections

“Do Sanders Supporters Favor His Policies?” by Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels for New York Times

“Obama Can’t Endorse During the Democratic Primary, So He’s Just Pointing Out How Hard the Job Is Instead” by Christi Parsons and Michael Memoli for Los Angeles Times

“Trump Reaches the Magic Number to Clinch Nomination” by The Associated Press for Yahoo!News

Lobbying

California: “The Coastal Commission Hopes to Restore Public Trust with Its Latest Decision” by Dan Weikel for Los Angeles Times

California: “Brown Vetoes Bill Requiring Advocates for State Contracts to Register” by Jeremy White for Sacramento Bee

Rhode Island: “Paiva Weed Hoping for Lobbyist Reform This Session” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

“Lobbyists: Lawmakers turn up pressure to quiet HB2 opponents” by Laura Leslie for WRAL

Ethics

“Gov. Brownback Signs Bill Opening Officials’ Private E-mails on Public Business” by Bryan Lowry for Wichita Eagle

Ohio: “Columbus Mayor Ginther Addresses Ethics Concerns in First Executive Order” by Sam Hendren for WOSU

Rhode Island: “Was a Providence Councilman Stealing from the City’s Kids?” by Amanda Milkovitz for Providence Journal

Virginia: “Bristol Virginia Utilities Shows Culture of Corruption, Entitlement and Greed” by Dan Casey for Roanoke Times

Elections

“Trump’s Candidacy Sparking ‘a Surge’ in Citizenship, Voter Applications” by Ed O’Keefe for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

“Does Size Matter? The Latest Battle Over State Supreme Courts” by Alan Greenblatt for Governing

Elections Division Administrator Michael Haas has been selected to serve as the Administrator of the new Wisconsin Elections Commission. His 4-year term begins on Thursday, June 30. Haas currently supervises and has a strong working relationship with the staff who will transfer from Government Accountability Board to the Elections Commission. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation in 2017.

National:

Conservatives Accuse Facebook of Political Bias
New York Times – John Hermann and Mike Isaac | Published: 5/9/2016

Facebook denied allegations from former workers who said the social media site suppressed news about conservative issues on its popular “trending” news feature. The website Gizmodo published a report that included allegations from unnamed former Facebook “news curators” who said employees prevented stories about the Conservative Political Action Conference, as well as stories about Mitt Romney, Rand Paul, and other conservative issues from appearing in the section, “even though they were organically trending among the site’s users.” The back-and-forth highlights the extent to which Facebook has now muscled its way into America’s political conversation, and the risks the company faces as it becomes a central force in news production and consumption.

Lobbying Groups Descend on Battleground States
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 5/11/2016

With few chances left for face-to-face advocacy in Washington, D.C. as federal lawmakers campaign for re-election, lobbyists are turning to their election-year playbook, which includes heavy spending on targeted advertising in battleground states. Those efforts are more important than ever before, lobbyists say, due to the unpredictability of a presidential race featuring presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. “[State-level advocacy is] a time-honored tradition, and this is the usual time, but there is still so much uncertainty,” said Bruce Haynes, a founding partner at Purple Strategies. “You may need more allies than you’ve ever had when you just don’t know which way the wind is going to blow.”

Women’s Rising Influence in Politics, Tinted Green
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore | Published: 5/7/2016

Female campaign donors in both parties have described cultural and economic changes that were driving their increased participation in political giving, long among the most exclusive men’s clubs in American culture. More women are founding their own companies or rising to lead family businesses, or have already sold or retired from them, a common springboard to the upper reaches of campaign fundraising. Within marriages, they said, women now had more authority to steer family decisions about political contributions. The increase is especially pronounced on the left, with the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton galvanizing female donors.

Federal:

Hillary Clinton, the First ‘E.T. Candidate,’ Has U.F.O. Fans in Thrall
New York Times – Amy Chozick | Published: 5/10/2016

Known for her grasp of policy details, Hillary Clinton has spoken at length in her presidential campaign on topics ranging from Alzheimer’s research to military tensions in the South China Sea. But it is her unusual knowledge about extraterrestrials that has struck a small but committed cohort of voters. Clinton has vowed that barring any threats to national security, she would open up government files on the subject, a shift from President Obama, who typically dismisses the topic as a joke. Her position has elated UFO enthusiasts, who have declared Clinton the first “E.T. candidate.”

Lobbyists Struggle with Trump Reality
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 5/6/2016

Republican lobbyists in Washington, D.C. are struggling to come to grips with the possibility of a Donald Trump presidency. Much of the GOP crowd on K Street – lobbyists, consultants, and public relations operatives – built their careers working for so-called establishment politicians. Some who spoke with The Hill mentioned that many lobbyists uneasy about whether to support Trump will just shift back to what they know: Congress. Deciding not to participate in the White House race could free up extra resources to ensure Republicans stay in control of the House and Senate, as the party is set to have to defend a large number of seats in the upper chamber. “K Street is worried about the dominos falling below the presidential race,” said Tom Korologos, a strategic advisor for DLA Piper.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama – Chief Justice’s Suspension Adds to Alabama’s Political Mess
Santa Cruz Sentinel – Jay Reeves (Associated Press) | Published: 5/7/2016

Three top elected officials in Alabama are embroiled in scandal or facing removal from office while a former governor serves time in federal prison on a corruption conviction. State Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore was suspended from his job and faces possible ouster over his attempts to block gay marriage following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that effectively legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Fellow Republicans tried to remove Gov. Robert Bentley by impeachment over a sexually charged scandal involving a top political aide, and an investigation continues. House Speaker Mike Hubbard awaits a state trial on 23 felony ethics counts. If convicted, Hubbard could join imprisoned former Gov. Don Siegelman, who was convicted on federal influence-peddling charges.

Arizona – Legislature Approves Bills Amending Campaign Finance Laws
ABC15; Associated Press –   | Published: 5/7/2016

The Arizona Legislature adopted a measure to reinsert criminal penalties that were left out of a sweeping campaign finance bill that was signed by the governor. Among the changes are provisions that make it illegal for individuals to contribute in the name of another person and prevent candidates from donating to one another. House Bill 2297 now moves to the governor’s desk beside a second measure that borrowed language from the same campaign finance rewrite to relax rules on anonymous political spending ahead of the August primary election. The amendment on House Bill 2296 cedes regulation of “dark money” and other nonprofit groups to the IRS, essentially doubling the amount these groups can spend on ballot measures.

California – California Senate Suspends Lobbyist Fundraising Restrictions
Monterey County Herald – Jonathan Cooper (Associated Press) | Published: 5/12/2016

The California Senate voted to remove a fundraising blackout period instituted in the wake of a corruption scandal two years ago. The Senate reversed the ban on members raising money from lobbyist employers during final budget negotiations and the last month of session, a time when lawmakers are typically voting on hundreds of bills. Because the restrictions were only in the Senate’s internal rules, not state law, they are not subject to approval by the Assembly or the governor and take effect immediately.

Kentucky – Kentucky’s Two Most Recent Governors Are Feuding, and It’s Ugly and Very Public, Too
U.S. News & World Report – Adam Beam (Associated Press) | Published: 5/10/2016

While peaceful transitions of power are a longstanding U.S. tradition, the handoff in Kentucky from Steve Beshear to Matt Bevin has been ugly. The spat has intensified so much that Beshear has taken the extraordinary step of starting a nonprofit group that is paying for ads critical of Bevin and his policies. Bevin, in turn, has launched an investigation of the Beshear administration, using a state law granting him subpoena power and public money to hire a private law firm to determine if the ex-governor violated state ethics and procurement laws.

Missouri – Missouri House and Senate Can’t Agree on Banning Lobbyist Gifts
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 5/12/2016

A compromise that would ban gifts to Missouri lawmakers except for lobbyist-funded meals – which would be capped at $40 a day, per lobbyist – got bogged down in the state Senate. But even though the 2016 legislative session ends May 13 at six p.m., the House is not ready to give up the fight. Republicans in that chamber plan to attach a lobbyist gift ban as an amendment to numerous Senate bills in an effort to force senators to deal with the issue.

New York – Dean Skelos Is Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison in Corruption Case
New York Times – Benjamin Weiser and Vivian Yee | Published: 5/12/2016

Former New York Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos was sentenced to five years in prison, making him the second former state lawmaker in recent days to be given time behind bars for public corruption. The judge also sentenced his son, Adam Skelos, to six-and-one-half years in prison following their convictions on charges of extortion, fraud, and bribe solicitation. Prosecutors said Dean Skelos used his public position to obtain jobs and payments for his son with companies that had business before the state. Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was sentenced to 12 years in prison in a separate corruption case. The sentences conclude an extraordinary chapter during which two trials held a block apart at almost the same time exposed a culture of kickbacks and secret deals in Albany.

Pennsylvania – Behind the Scenes of an Intricate FBI Sting
Philadelphia Inquirer – Mark Fazlollah, Craig McCoy, and Angeles Couloumbis | Published: 5/7/2016

Records and interviews suggest the FBI sting that ensnared lobbyist John Estey could become the most complex and far-reaching corruption investigation in Harrisburg in a decade. Along with Estey, the probe already trapped former state Treasurer Rob McCord, who has agreed to cooperate in return for leniency and secretly recorded his conversations, according to sources. Federal prosecutors have declined to discuss details of an investigation they only broadly describe as focused on “lobbying in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.”

South Carolina – State Lawmaker Lived at Contributor’s Half-Million-Dollar Property, Ducks Questions
Charleston Post & Courier – David Slade | Published: 5/7/2016

South Carolina Rep. Brian White and his wife sold their modest ranch home for $150,000 and moved to a nearly 3,900-square-foot house more than seven acres with a pool. The $500,000 property was owned by Bradley and Brian Moorhouse, brothers who are both nursing home administrators for National Healthcare Corp., White’s largest corporate source of campaign donations. The White family lived there as tenants for at least five years, paying an undisclosed amount of rent while Brian White collected campaign donations from his landlords and executives with their company. During that time, White chaired a House subcommittee overseeing the state’s health care spending and policies, including those affecting the nursing home industry.

Washington – ‘End Yourselves’: Councilwomen threatened after voting against Seattle’s NBA arena
Washington Post – Stephanie Kuzydym | Published: 5/11/2016

The five female members of the Seattle City Council who provided the votes to defeat a plan to build a new arena to lure a team from the National Basketball Association have received ugly hate mail and threats from disappointed sports fans. Councilperson Lorena González said her personal and private social-media accounts and email were flooded with vitriolic messages. “What was concerning to me about this is I never came into this position with the expectation that I’d be told to kill myself or that I deserve sexual violence,” González said.

Wisconsin – Kevin Kennedy Stepping Down as Head of Embattled Elections, Ethics Board
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Patrick Marley | Published: 5/10/2016

Wisconsin’s longtime chief elections official, Kevin Kennedy, is retiring on June 29. That is the day before the Government Accountability Board (GAB) he heads is scheduled to be dissolved and reconstituted as two separate commissions. Lawmakers created the GAB in response to a scandal in which lawmakers were convicted of campaigning using state resources. But Republicans came to despise the board, in large part because it participated in an investigation that looked into whether Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign collaborated with conservative groups. Lawmakers last year voted to disband the GAB.

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.

National:

Often-Secret Donors Spend Big to Push Elected Officials’ Pet Projects
USA Today – Fredreka Schouten and Mary Troyan | Published: 4/5/2016

Nonprofit groups have become a fixture in federal politics, allowing secret donors to pump unlimited sums into advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts in elections. But their use has spread rapidly to statehouses and city halls as another source of cash that elected officials of both parties can tap to help shape public policy. Elected officials defend their use, saying nonprofits can move more nimbly than government agencies to advance civic initiatives and are less likely to draw the public’s ire over using taxpayer funds for pet projects or quasi-political expenses, such as polling. Campaign finance watchdogs, however, said they are just another way for unregulated money to seep into the political process and give big donors a covert method to curry favor with decision makers.

Stricter Rules for Voter IDs Reshape Races
New York Times – Michael Wines and Manuel Fernandez | Published: 5/1/2016

Since their inception a decade ago, voter identification laws have been the focus of fierce political and social debate. Proponents, largely Republican, argue the regulations are essential tools to combat election fraud, while critics contend they are mainly intended to suppress turnout of Democratic-leaning constituencies like minorities and students. As the general election nears, in which new or strengthened voter ID laws will be in place in 15 states for the first time in a presidential election, recent academic research indicates the requirements restrict turnout and disproportionately affect voting by minorities. The laws are also reshaping how many campaigns are run, with candidates not only spending time to secure votes, but also time to ensure those votes can be cast.

Federal:

Clinton Fundraising Leaves Little for State Parties
Politico – Kenneth Vogel and Isaac Arnsdorf | Published: 5/2/2016

The Hillary Victory Fund is a joint fundraising committee comprised of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and 32 state party committees. The set-up allows Clinton to solicit checks of $350,000 or more from her wealthy supporters. In the days before Clinton launched the unprecedented fundraising vehicle, she proclaimed “when our state parties are strong, we win. That’s what will happen.” But less than one percent of the $61 million raised by that effort has stayed in the state parties’ coffers. The arrangement has sparked concerns among watchdogs, who see it as a circumvention of contribution limits by a national party apparatus intent on doing whatever it takes to help Clinton win the Democratic nomination and then the White House.

Now, Dennis Hastert Seems an Architect of Dysfunction as Speaker
New York Times – Carl Hulse | Published: 5/2/2016

Dennis Hastert’s admission in federal court that he sexually molested wrestlers on the Illinois high school team he coached years before setting foot on Capitol Hill is provoking a re-evaluation of his tenure as the longest-serving Republican House speaker. Hastert emerges as a deeply flawed figure who contributed significantly to the dysfunction that defines Congress today. Even his namesake Hastert rule, the informal standard that no legislation should be brought to a vote without the support of a majority of the majority, has come to be seen as a structural barrier to compromise.

With Donald Trump in Charge, Republicans Have a Day of Reckoning
New York Times – Patrick Healy, Jonathan Martin, and Maggie Haberman | Published: 5/4/2016

For a Republican Party that usually rallies around its presumptive presidential nominee quickly, the brutal primary campaign and the questions about Donald Trump’s substance and style have fueled a remarkable level of dissatisfaction, antipathy that will not fade simply because Ted Cruz and John Kasich have ceded the race. The journey from denial and resistance to grudging acceptance, and even peace, with the Trump nomination may never be complete for some Republicans. But leaders hope to change that quickly, to save the party from splintering and to have a real shot at winning in November.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – Legislature Passes Bill to Disclose Lobbying on State Contracts
KQED – Guy Marzorati | Published: 5/3/2016

Communicating with government officials to try to win state contracts would be considered lobbying under legislation the California Assembly sent to Gov. Jerry Brown despite opposition from the Fair Political Practices Commission. If Brown signs the Assembly Bill 1200, people who communicate with government officials about contracts enough to earn $2,000 or more a month for their efforts would have to register as lobbyists. It would apply only to people working on contracts worth at least $250,000.

California – State Senator Calls for a Ban on Private Meetings with Coastal Commissioners to ‘Level the Playing Field’
Los Angeles Times – Dan Weikel and Kim Christensen | Published: 5/3/2016

Ex-parte communications between individual members of the California Coastal Commission and developers, lobbyists, environmentalists, and other interested parties have become a major element in the way the commission presides over land use, public access, and environment protection. Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson has introduced legislation to ban those communications, a move that has raised questions about who gets access to individual commissioners and the fairness of the panel’s quasi-judicial process that weighs both sides before rendering a decision.

Kentucky – FBI Agent: Illegal donations went to campaigns of Andy Beshear, Jack Conway
Lexington Herald-Leader – John Cheves | Published: 5/3/2016

Newly released court documents show former Kentucky Personnel Cabinet Secretary Tim Longmeyer, who pleaded guilty to a federal bribery charge, arranged for illegal campaign donations to Andy Beshear, who was elected attorney general, and Jack Conway, who lost his bid to become governor. An affidavit states there is no indication the candidates were aware of the scheme. Court documents indicate the money came from a scheme Longmeyer had with MC Squared Consulting, which gave him kickbacks in exchange for help securing contracts with two insurers.

New York – Executive Chamber Receives Subpoena; Percoco Said to Be Under Federal Gaze
Albany Times Union – Casey Seiler | Published: 4/29/2016

The federal investigation into one of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s signature economic development programs has come to focus on one of his former top aides, Joseph Percoco. The inquiry is also focused on several other men and a company linked to the program, called the Buffalo Billion. The governor’s office was served with a federal grand jury subpoena for documents related to the investigation. “The state has reason to believe that in certain programs and regulatory approvals they may have been defrauded by improper bidding and failures to disclose potential conflicts-of-interest by lobbyists and former state employees,” the governor’s office said in a statement.

New York – From Albany to Prison: Ex-lawmakers on life behind bars
New York Times – Vivian Yee | Published: 4/30/2016

In interviews, four former New York lawmakers that were convicted on corruption charges tell of spiritual awakenings, physical survival, and mental toughening. But what figures largest in these personal narratives – what they say has sustained them throughout – is the belief they were wrongly prosecuted. With onetime Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver being sentenced to 12 years recently, along with the expected arrivals of convicted ex-Sens. Dean Skelos and John Sampson, there will be at least nine former members of the Legislature in the federal prison system. Nine more were released over the last few years.

New York – Sheldon Silver, Ex-New York Assembly Speaker, Gets 12-Year Prison Sentence
New York Times – Benjamin Weiser and Vivian Yee | Published: 5/3/2016

A federal judge sentenced former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to 12 years in prison after he was convicted of corruption charges. The judge also ordered him to forfeit more than $5 million in proceeds from his crimes and pay a $1.75 million fine. Silver was found guilty of fraud, extortion, and money laundering in dealings with real estate developers and a Columbia University cancer researcher. Prosecutors also alleged he found jobs for two women with whom he had extramarital affairs. “Silver’s crimes corrupted the institution that he led for more than 20 years,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing recommendation. “As a fixture in the legislative leadership, an entire generation of New York legislators served in an institution framed by his corrupt example.”

Pennsylvania – Guilty: Aide to former PA Gov. Rendell pleas to wire fraud
Binghamton Press & Bulletin – Marc Levy (Associated Press) | Published: 5/1/2016

An ex-chief of staff to former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges in connection with an FBI undercover investigation into lobbying activities in Harrisburg. John Estey is accused of taking $20,000 from an undercover business created by the FBI five years ago. He agreed to make campaign contributions that would influence state lawmakers and to distribute the money in a way that would hide the company’s role. State law bans campaign donations from corporations. But Estey only gave $7,000 to legislators, secretly keep the rest for himself.

Utah – Donor Speed-Dating with Guv Doesn’t Sit Well with Some
Salt Lake Tribune – Robert Gehrke | Published: 4/28/2016

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert’s campaign is pitching a novel fundraising approach, granting one-on-one meetings with the governor in a speed-dating-style format for donors who give generously to his re-election efforts. The tactic, presented by the governor’s campaign staff at a meeting at the Alta Club in Salt Lake City to more than two dozen lobbyists and supporters, was alarming to several in attendance. “I think everyone who was there was like, ‘Too much,'” said one of several lobbyists who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to not upset the governor or his staff. “It made people cringe.”

Virginia – Fla. Businessman Paid $10K for Va. Senator’s Trip to Meet Syrian President Assad
Washington Post – Laura Vozzella | Published: 5/3/2016

A businessperson paid $10,000 for the cost of Virginia Sen. Richard Black’s recent trip to Syria, where he met with President Bashar al Assad. State ethics officials signed off on the gift, finding it complied with state ethics laws. Black will be required to report the free business-class air travel and accommodations on his financial disclosure form. But he is not sure how to put a dollar figure on something the Syrian government lavished on him during his visit: security. “When we went to Palmyra, as we were traveling some of the roads, they had a very large assault jet flying in at treetop level with ear-splitting roars, and on the other side were four assault helicopters,” Black said. Accounting for largesse of that sort will be a new one in Richmond, even after three rounds of ethics reform.

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.

Lobbying

California: “Legislature Passes Bill to Disclose Lobbying on State Contracts” by Guy Marzorati for KQED

Campaign Finance

New Jersey: “Ex-Birdsall Exec Admits Role in $1M Pay-to-Play Scheme” by S.P. Sullivan (NJ Advance Media) for Newark Star-Ledger

New York: “Hearing Advances Reforms to City Campaign Finance System” by Samar Khurshid for Gotham Gazette

Ethics

“What is Corruption?” by Robert Gebelhoff for Washington Post

Alabama: “Zeigler Says He’ll File Court Motion Seeking Bentley Testimony” by Mike Cason for AL.com

New York: “Sheldon Silver, Ex-New York Assembly Speaker, Gets 12-Year Prison Sentence” by Benjamin Weiser and Vivian Yee for New York Times

Virginia: “Fla. Businessman Paid $10K for Va. Senator’s Trip to Meet Syrian President Assad” by Laura Vozzella for Washington Post

Elections

“Ted Cruz Drops Out of the Republican Presidential Race” by Sean Sullivan and Katie Zezima for Washington Post

“Sanders Wins Indiana, but Clinton Looks to November” by Heidi Przybyla for USA Today

Legislative Issues

“Now, Dennis Hastert Seems an Architect of Dysfunction as Speaker” by Carl Hulse for New York Times

Campaign Finance

“Clinton Fundraising Leaves Little for State Parties” by Kenneth Vogel and Isaac Arnsdorf for Politico

“Cruz’s Faltering Campaign Shows the Risks of Depending on a Few Wealthy Donors” by Joseph Tanfani and Noah Bierman for Los Angeles Times

Massachusetts: “Top Donors Could Gain More Access to Baker, Officials” by Jim O’Sullivan for Boston Globe

Washington: “Sen. Roach Wants AG to Decide If Campaign Donors Should Be Named on Petitions” by Joseph O’Sullivan for Seattle Times

Ethics

Florida: “Nonprofit Contributions from Developers Get Scrutiny in Miami Beach” by James Teeple for The Real Deal

New York: “Executive Chamber Receives Subpoena; Percoco Said to Be Under Federal Gaze” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

Pennsylvania: “Guilty: Aide to former PA Gov. Rendell pleas to wire fraud” by Marc Levy (Associated Press) for Binghamton Press & Bulletin

South Carolina: “Watchdogs Say Ethics Bills Could Instill Confidence” by Tim Smith for Greenville News

Elections

“Stricter Rules for Voter IDs Reshape Races” by Michael Wines and Manuel Fernandez for New York Times

Virginia: “Va. Republicans Hire Lawyer in Bid to Stop Restoration of Felons’ Voting Rights” by Laura Vozzella for Washington Post

Campaign Finance

“Sanders Is Biggest Spender of 2016 So Far – Generating Millions for Consultants” by Matea Gold and Anu Narayanswamy for Washington Post

Colorado: “House Votes for Disclosure of Independent Spending on Ads Touting Political Parties” by Jeff Roberts (Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition) for Colorado Independent

Colorado: “Groups May Take Aim at Denver Campaign Finance, Ethics Rules” by Jon Murray for Denver Post

New York: “De Blasio’s Office Gets Subpoenas as Inquiries into Fund-Raising Continue” by J. David Goodman for New York Times

North Carolina: “FEC Resets Campaign Donation Limits for NC Congressional Races” by Colin Campbell for Raleigh News & Observer

Ethics

Alabama: “Henry to File New Impeachment Articles against Bentley” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

Connecticut: “Questions Raised About Sale of Famous Political Collection” by Edmund Mahony for Hartford Courant

South Carolina: “Senate Passes Bills Aimed at Reforming State Ethics Laws” by Maya Prabhu for Charleston Post & Courier

Utah: “Donor Speed-Dating with Guv Doesn’t Sit Well with Some” by Robert Gehrke for Salt Lake Tribune

Elections

“Voters in Eastern Seaboard Primaries Embrace Trump” by Philip Rucker and Jose DelReal for Washington Post

“Clinton Decisively Wins Democratic Primaries in 4 States” by Abby Phillip, John Wagner, and Anne Gearan for Washington Post

“How the Other Fifth Lives” by Thomas Edsall for New York Times

Texas: “Justices Leave Texas Voter ID Law Intact, with a Warning” by Adam Liptak for New York Times

National:

Dennis Hastert Sentenced to 15 Months, and Apologizes for Sex Abuse
New York Times – Monica Davey, Julie Bosman, and Mitch Smith | Published: 4/27/2016

A judge sentenced former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert to 15 months in federal prison for paying $1.7 million in hush money to cover up sexual abuse from decades ago. He also must undergo sex offender treatment, two years of supervised release after his time behind bars, and a $250,000 fine to go to a fund for crime victims. Shortly before learning his sentence, Hastert admitted for the first time that he sexually abused boys decades ago when he was the wrestling coach for Yorkville High School. U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Durkin took Hastert to task, saying, “Nothing is more stunning than having the words serial child molester and speaker of the House in the same sentence.”

With Uncertainty at Top of Ticket, Republicans Back Off in Some States
New York Times – Jonathan Martin | Published: 4/21/2016

The Republican National Committee is scaling back its financial commitments to some of the most hotly contested states because of flagging fundraising, the most concrete evidence yet of how the party’s divisive and protracted presidential race is threatening the entire GOP ticket in November. The party is also taking steps to create a separate fundraising entity dedicated to U.S. Senate races, an acknowledgment that many of the wealthiest contributors are increasingly focused on protecting Republican control of Congress rather than a presidential campaign they fear is lost.

Federal:

Congressmen Challenge ‘Bipartisan Shakedown’ Pressuring Members to Raise $18,000 Every Day
WCMH – Chance Seales | Published: 4/24/2016

When U.S. Rep. David Jolley came to Capitol Hill after winning a special election in 2014, he was surprised to discover what his leading priority was expected to be – fundraising. In an interview with “60 Minutes,” Jolley said he met behind closed doors with party leadership, where he was told he had six months to raise $2 million. “Your job, new member of Congress, is to raise $18,000 a day …,” Jolley said he was told. To do so, he said, members are given lists of names and scripts. Because members are not allowed to fundraise on Capitol grounds, the campaign arms of the parties have setup call bank headquarters where members can duck in to spend a few hours on the phone.

The Rise of Trump Studies
Politico – Darren Samuelsohn | Published: 4/24/2016

As Donald Trump’s surprise presidential candidacy disrupts everything it touches, it has now entered the academic realm, launching a new wave of what might be called Trump Studies. From philosophy to law to computer science and history, researchers are finding they cannot look away from Trump. For some, the popularity of the celebrity real estate developer is the perfect tent pole to hang their existing research on. For others, his candidacy is like an experiment on a national scale, blowing up conventional wisdom about how American politics and society work.

Trump’s ‘Woman’s Card’ Comment Escalates the Campaign’s Gender Wars
Washington Post – Anne Gearan and Katie Zezima | Published: 4/27/2016

While celebrating his sweeping victories in five recent primaries, Donald Trump mocked Hillary Clinton’s qualifications, saying she would be a bad president who lacks “strength.” The remarks seemed like a preview of a general-election strategy to use Clinton’s potential to be the first female president against her. It also crystallized the question of how the nation will reckon with its first presidential election between a man and a woman. What was once subtext – latent sexism in American life and the question of what is off-limits when contemplating a woman as commander in chief – is now a full part of the political debate.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alaska – Lobbyists Bought $100 Meal for Alaska Senate President before Vote on Building
Alaska Dispatch News – Nathaniel Herz | Published: 4/27/2016

Alaska Senate President Kevin Meyer accepted a $100 meal from two lobbyists for one of the developers of state lawmakers’ Anchorage offices a week before voting to buy those offices for $32.5 million. Under the state’s ethics laws, lawmakers and legislative employees are barred from accepting gifts from lobbyists, though there are exceptions for tickets to charity events and food and drinks “for immediate consumption.” Meyer said the idea that lawmakers should pay for their own meals when they dine with lobbyists is an issue that should be debated. But the very idea seemed to perplex him. “We could pay for our own way; I’m just trying to think how that would work,” said Meyer.

California – Here Are All the Sports Events California State Lawmakers Attended for Free
Los Angeles Times – Javier Panzar | Published: 4/26/2016

California lawmakers passed a measure two years ago to tighten restrictions on gift-giving. The bill would have outlawed entertainment-related gifts and any gift over $200 in value. It was vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown, who said the bill would further complicate gift rules “without commensurate benefit” to the public. The Los Angeles Times tallied the free baseball, football, basketball, and golf games that state lawmakers attended in 2015 and who paid for them. “There are always ways to get money to politicians and essentially treat politicians to nice events; the gift limits, they do some work, but there are loopholes,” said Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor and president of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission.

California – The Most Influential Person on the Coastal Commission May Be This Lobbyist
Los Angeles Times – Kim Christensen | Published: 4/23/2016

Lobbyist, political insider, and owner of a consulting firm, Susan McCabe enjoys a close relationship and prominent standing with a state agency that regulates development along California’s 1,100-mile coast. Unlike other regulatory agencies in the state, the California Coastal Commission may be lobbied directly. Although legislation is pending to change it, state law allows members to communicate or meet privately with interested parties, as long as they disclose those contacts and what was discussed. In the last 15 months, commissioners have reported more than 100 ex-parte exchanges with McCabe, far more than with anyone else who represents business interests or environmental causes.

Maryland – Fundraising Ban Loophole Allows Some Maryland Lawmakers to Take Lobbyist Cash
Washington Post – Fenit Nirappil | Published: 4/22/2016

State lawmakers in Maryland who are running for Congress and local office are exempt from the ban on campaign fundraising during the annual legislative session, enabling them to take money from lobbyists and others with business before them. State lawmakers competing in those races took at least $33,000 from lobbyists and executives of groups trying to sway government officials during the session. The donations are legal and just a sliver of a multimillion-dollar haul, but they raise concerns from good government advocates who say they violate the spirit of the fundraising ban, which aims to insulate legislators from undue influence.

Missouri – Some Progress on Missouri Ethics Reform, But Does It Go Far Enough?
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 4/26/2016

Cleaning up Missouri’s ethics laws was a top priority of Republican leaders entering the 2016 session. With time running out on this year’s legislative session, how much progress they have made toward that goal is in the eye of the beholder. Missouri is the only state in the nation with the trio of no caps on campaign contributions, no limits on lobbyist gifts to legislators, and no waiting period after leaving office before lawmakers can return to the Capitol as lobbyists. As a result, six-figure campaign donations have become a normal part of politics, lawmakers collectively accept $900,000 a year in lobbyist-provided meals, alcohol, trips, and event tickets, and lobbyists’ ranks have swelled with former legislators and staff cashing in on their expertise and connections. Changing that dynamic took on new urgency after a series of controversies rocked the General Assembly in 2015.

New Jersey – Birdsall CEO Gets 4 Years in Huge N.J. Pay-to-Play Scheme
Newark Star-Ledger – S.P. Sullivan (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 4/22/2016

Howard Birdsall, the former head of one of New Jersey’s most prestigious engineering firms, was sentenced to four years in prison in a “pay-to-play” corruption case that brought about the demise of the company that bore his family’s name. The judge also ordered Birdsall to forfeit $49,808 that represented illegal campaign contributions he made. Birdsall and six other of the firm’s executives, as well as the firm itself, were indicted in 2013 on charges they masked corporate campaign contributions as individual political donations in order to skirt the state’s “pay-to-play” laws and get contracts it otherwise would have been disqualified from.

New York – De Blasio Team Violated Campaign Finance Laws, Report Says
New York Times – William Neuman and Jesse McKinley | Published: 4/22/2016

The state Board of Elections found New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and his political team committed “willful and flagrant violations” of campaign finance laws in efforts to oust Republican senators and referred the matter for criminal prosecution. The board’s investigation, and a subsequent continuing inquiry by local prosecutors, is looking at whether there was an effort to illegally circumvent limits on campaign contributions to individual candidates by directing money instead through Democratic Party county committees and a statewide party campaign committee. The county and statewide committees can receive contributions of up to $102,300, which is much greater than the general election limit of $11,000 per donor on contributions to candidates’ campaigns.

North Carolina – Federal Judge Upholds North Carolina Voter Rules
New York Times – Alan Blinder and Richard Fausett | Published: 4/25/2016

A federal judge upheld North Carolina’s controversial new voting law, dealing a blow to critics who said the state’s rules will discourage minorities from casting ballots during this fall’s presidential election. The law reduces the number of days of early voting, prohibits people from registering and voting on the same day, stops ballots cast in the wrong precinct from being counted, and requires a photo ID to vote. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit will be the first to consider an appeal, which the law’s opponents said they would pursue. The ruling is an early signal of how federal judges might regard changes and challenges to voting laws in the aftermath of a Supreme Court decision that effectively eliminated a portion of the Voting Rights Act that had forced nine states, mostly in the South, to obtain advance federal approval before changing their election laws.

Virginia – McDonnell Trial: Supreme Court justices express skepticism of former Virginia governor’s conviction
Washington Post – Robert Barnes and Laura Vozzella | Published: 4/27/2016

The U.S. Supreme Court appeared likely to rule that federal bribery and corruption laws are unfairly ensnaring public officials. A clear majority of justices during oral arguments sided with lawyers for former Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell, who is appealing his conviction for accepting more than $175,000 in gifts and loans from a wealthy executive in exchange for government favors. The problem, many justices agreed, is that the laws characterize common favors as criminal acts. “Officials routinely arrange meetings for donors, take their calls, politely listen to their ideas, and refer them to aides,” McDonnell’s attorneys argued in legal papers. “In criminalizing those everyday acts, the government has put every federal, state, and local official nationwide in its prosecutorial crosshairs.”

Virginia – Virginia Governor Restores Voting Rights to Felons
New York Times – Sheryl Gay Solberg and Erik Eckholm | Published: 4/22/2016

Gov. Terry McAuliffe issued an executive order that will allow more than 200,000 ex-cons in Virginia to register to vote in the upcoming presidential election, one of the biggest actions taken by a state to instantly restore voting rights. The change applies to all felons who have completed their sentences and been released from supervised probation or parole. The governor’s decision particularly affects black residents of Virginia: one in four African-Americans in the state has been permanently banned from voting because of laws restricting the rights of those with convictions. The move led to accusations that McAuliffe was playing politics; he is a longtime friend of, and fundraiser for, Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee for president, and former President Bill Clinton.

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.