July 26, 2011 •
Fort Wayne Pay to Play Bill May Be Unlawful
Indiana Election Division Opinion
Attorneys for the Indiana Election Division have opined that a proposed local ban on political contributions from city contractors violates state law.
The proposed Fort Wayne, Indiana ordinance prohibits companies, including subcontractors and family members, from doing business with the city if political donations were made to candidates or officials during the previous year. If a violation were not remedied by having the contributions returned, the company would be banned for three years from contracting with the city.
As quoted by The Journal Gazette, the authors of the opinion, Dale Simmons and Leslie Barnes, co-counsels at the Indiana Election Division, write “We believe the proposed ordinance unlawfully attempts to exercise the ‘power to conduct elections,’ which is a power expressly withheld from municipalities by the General Assembly. If this were not so, it would be easy to anticipate the confusion wrought in the administration of elections by numerous and conflicting local campaign finance regulations.”
July 18, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – July 18, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
National:
State Legislative Bills Raise Conservative Group’s Profile
Federal:
Key Senator Urges Federal Investigation of Murdoch Media Company
The Influence Industry: Coming soon to a screen near you – a lobbying campaign
From the States and Municipalities:
Alabama
Legislature’s Ethics Chairs Say Referral Fees Are ‘Unquestionably Illegal’
Arizona
Arizona Lawmaker Says Pointing Gun at Reporter Wasn’t Deliberate
California
Gays Gaining Ground in State Political District Boundary Talks
Connecticut
Agency Head: Malloy’s undermining watchdogs’ fiscal autonomy
Idaho
Watchdog Group Says Idaho Should Have Stricter Lobbyist Reporting
Indiana
City Ponders Campaign-Gift Curbs
Minnesota
Full Eighth Circuit to Hear Minnesota Disclosure Law Case
Montana
High Court Sets Oral Arguments in Campaign Lawsuit
South Carolina
Campaign Reports, Fines Dog Son of Late S.C. Gov. Campbell
Tennessee
Haslam’s Office Cuts Off Hundreds from Clip Service
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
February 25, 2011 •
News You Can Use from Indiana
A Deputy Attorney General Fired for Comments Made on Twitter
Jim Sedor, the editor of State and Federal Communications’ News You Can Use, offers this breaking news item. Jeff Cox, a deputy attorney general in Indiana, has been fired for commenting on his Twitter account that police in Wisconsin should use live ammunition to disperse protesters.
For the full story, here is the article by Chris Sikich and Mary Beth Schneider in the Indianapolis Star: “Indiana official fired for remarks on Twitter” from February 24.
Here is a statement from the Attorney General’s Office on Jeff Cox’s online postings and his being fired.
February 11, 2011 •
News You Can Use from Indiana
Lobby Registration Commission Fires Executive Director
According to an article in the Indianapolis Star News, Sarah Nagy has been fired as Executive Director of the Indiana Lobby Registration Commission. Nagy had been put on leave since January.
The article states the board voted unanimously and gave no reason for the action.
For the full story, read: “Lobby group fires executive director” from the February 11 edition.
February 3, 2011 •
Indiana Bill Introduces Local Lobbying Laws
Covers Persons Seeking Business Relationships
Senator James Arnold has introduced a bill which would require persons seeking business relationships with local jurisdictions and their agencies to register and report activity and expenditures as lobbyists, whether or not the local jurisdictions have ordinances dealing with lobbying. Senate Bill 0330 defines ‘business relationship’ to include pecuniary interest contracts and purchases with an agency with an aggregate value of at least $100,000.
The bill calls for the reporting to be filed with the local county clerks where the lobbying activity occurs. A $100 a day late fine would be imposed for each day a lobbyist misses his or her filing date and lobbyists knowingly failing to register or file would face a Class A infraction.
The bill also allows local jurisdictions to adopt ethics ordinances and establish ethics commissions.
Map of Indiana by Jim Irwin on Wikipedia.
January 20, 2011 •
Indiana Commission Removes Executive Director and General Counsel
Placed On Leave
According to a report in the Indiana Business Journal, Sarah Nagy, Executive Director and General Counsel for the Indiana Lobby Registration Commission has been placed on paid administrative leave. She received notice of the leave by e-mail the day before the state’s legislative lobbying registration renewals became due.
Ms. Nagy, who has held both jobs for 14 years, said she does not understand why she was put on leave.
January 3, 2011 •
Proposed Bill for Disclosure of Lobbying of Local Indiana Governments
State Senator Wants Transparency
State senator Jim Arnold announced he will introduce legislation to regulate lobbying disclosure rules for all levels of local government in Indiana. In his proposed bill, spending by vendors bidding for contracts of $100,000 or more with a governmental body would trigger mandatory disclosure.
Local governmental officials, including county commissioners and city council members, would be required to report whenever a lobbyist spent money on them over a threshold limit.
The law is not intended to supersede local ordinances but would still establish and necessitate minimum requirements of disclosure.
Photo of State senator Jim Arnold courtesy of the Indiana Senate Web site.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.