September 13, 2017 •
Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup
Lobbying California: “California May Slow Revolving Door of Legislators Becoming Lobbyists” by Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times Tennessee: “Lobbyists Courted Lawmakers with Free Food, Baseball Tickets at Conferences” by Joel Ebert for The Tennessean Campaign Finance Colorado: “Denver City […]
Lobbying
California: “California May Slow Revolving Door of Legislators Becoming Lobbyists” by Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times
Tennessee: “Lobbyists Courted Lawmakers with Free Food, Baseball Tickets at Conferences” by Joel Ebert for The Tennessean
Campaign Finance
Colorado: “Denver City Council Approves New Rules Requiring Reports of Dark-Money Spending in Elections” by Jon Murray for Denver Post
Massachusetts: “Pro-Charter School Group Pays State’s Largest Campaign Finance Penalty” by Michael Levenson for Boston Globe
Ethics
“Trump Promised Not to Work with Foreign Entities. His Company Just Did” by Anita Kumar for McClatchy DC
“Interior Faulted for Subsidy to Firm Once Tied to David Bernhardt, Now the Deputy Secretary” by Juliet Eilperin and Jack Gillum for Washington Post
“Guam Delegate May Have Violated Emoluments Clause with Lease, Ethics Office Says” by Elise Viebeck for Washington Post
“Trump’s Legal Team Debated Whether Kushner Should Leave White House” by Carol Leonnig for Washington Post
September 12, 2017 •
Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News
Lobbying Pennsylvania: “Elect Them, Then Lobby Them: Two firms blur the worlds of policy and politics in Harrisburg” by Angela Couloumbis and Liz Navratil for Philadelphia Inquirer Campaign Finance “Will Donald Trump Let the Federal Election Commission Rot?” by Dave […]
Lobbying
Pennsylvania: “Elect Them, Then Lobby Them: Two firms blur the worlds of policy and politics in Harrisburg” by Angela Couloumbis and Liz Navratil for Philadelphia Inquirer
Campaign Finance
“Will Donald Trump Let the Federal Election Commission Rot?” by Dave Levinthal for Center for Public Integrity
Arizona: “Commissioner Bob Burns Can’t Force Political Funding Disclosure, Utility Argues” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star
Illinois: “Weighing Third Term, Emanuel Relies on Campaign Donors Who Get City Hall Benefits” by Jeff Coen and Bill Ruthhart for Chicago Tribune
Maine: “Network of Companies with Ties to York County Casino Bid Stretches Far and Wide” by Scott Thistle for Portland Press Herald
New Jersey: “Court Revives Campaign Complaint Against Essex County Executive” by Nicholas Pugliese for Bergen Record
Oregon: “Legislators Consolidate Power, Cash, in Partially Invisible Cycle of Giving to Each Other” by Cooper Green for Salem Statesman-Journal
Elections
New York: “Monserrate, Ex-Senator and Ex-Convict, Seeks Votes Amid Disdain” by J. David Goodman for New York Times
September 11, 2017 •
Monday’s Government and Ethics News
Campaign Finance New Mexico: New Campaign Spending Rules to Take Effect by Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal New York: Firm Uses Loophole to Secretly Donate $60G to de Blasio Campaign, Lobbying Records Show by James Fanelli for New York Daily […]
Campaign Finance
New Mexico: New Campaign Spending Rules to Take Effect by Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal
New York: Firm Uses Loophole to Secretly Donate $60G to de Blasio Campaign, Lobbying Records Show by James Fanelli for New York Daily News
Ethics
Mueller Gives White House Names of 6 Aides He Expects to Question in Russia Probe by Carol Leonnig, Rosalind Helderman, and Ashley Parker for Washington Post
Kentucky: Legislative Sex Harassment Case Spurs Call for Change in Kentucky’s Ethics Law by Jack Brammer for Lexington Herald-Leader
Elections
On Facebook and Twitter, a Hunt for Russia’s Meddling Hand by Scott Shane for New York Times
In Free-Range Trump, Many See Potential for a Third Party by Jeremy Peters for New York Times
Lobbying
Canada: Quebec’s Lobbyist Registry Best in Canada, Though All Struggle in Key Transparency Metrics: Study by Marco Vigliotti for The Hill Times
Virginia: Virginia Lawmakers Attend Fewest Lobbyist-Paid Entertainment Events Since McDonnell Case by Will Houp for Virginian-Pilot
Procurement
Illinois: Aldermen Take Another Stab at Relaxing Ethics Rules for Contractors by Fran Spielman for Chicago Sun-Times
September 8, 2017 •
NYCU Video Digest – September 8, 2017
Becky is coming to you from the Content Marketing World 2017 conference in Cleveland, Ohio with this week’s News You Can Use Video Digest!
Becky is coming to you from the Content Marketing World 2017 conference in Cleveland, Ohio with this week’s News You Can Use Video Digest!
September 8, 2017 •
Ask the Experts – Lobbyist Reporting
Q: I have been out of the office on an extended vacation. I just noticed a reminder e-mail that I have a lobbying report due today that cannot be filed electronically. What are my options? A: You still have the ability to […]
Q: I have been out of the office on an extended vacation. I just noticed a reminder e-mail that I have a lobbying report due today that cannot be filed electronically. What are my options?
A: You still have the ability to submit the report in a timely manner. Your first step should be to confirm the reportable activity for your report. If it is your lobbyist report, check your calendar or records to see whether you lobbied during the reporting period. If the report is for your employer, you must review not only your activity, but possibly information for a contract lobbyist as well…
Click here to read the full article…
September 8, 2017 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 8, 2017
National: Software Glitch or Russian Hackers? Election Problems Draw Little Scrutiny New York Times – Nicole Pearlroth, Michael Wines, and Matthew Rosenberg | Published: 9/1/2017 After a presidential campaign scarred by Russian meddling, local, state, and federal agencies have conducted […]
National:
Software Glitch or Russian Hackers? Election Problems Draw Little Scrutiny
New York Times – Nicole Pearlroth, Michael Wines, and Matthew Rosenberg | Published: 9/1/2017
After a presidential campaign scarred by Russian meddling, local, state, and federal agencies have conducted little of the type of digital forensic investigation required to assess the impact, if any, on voting in at least 21 states whose election systems were targeted by Russian hackers. The assaults on the vast back-end election apparatus – voter-registration operations, state and local election databases, e-poll books, and other equipment – have received far less attention than other aspects of the Russian interference, such as the hacking of Democratic emails and spreading of false or damaging information about Hillary Clinton. Yet the hacking of electoral systems was more extensive than previously disclosed.
Statehouses, Not Congress, Hosting Biggest Political Money Fights
Center for Public Integrity – Ashley Balcerzak | Published: 8/31/2017
Lawmakers in at least 18 states have introduced legislation this year to change the amount of money people can give to politicians. Half of the bills aim to increase contribution limits in attempts to keep pace with the rising number of outside forces that can spend unlimited amounts of cash. The other half try to decrease the limits to blunt the amount of money in politics. Meanwhile, national coalitions have swarmed statehouses and city halls. They are targeting disclosure laws, pay-to-play and lobbying rules, and the role corporations, unions, and nonprofits may play in elections, in addition to fundraising limits.
Federal:
A Two-Decade Crusade by Conservative Charities Fueled Trump’s Exit from Paris Climate Accord
Washington Post – Robert O’Harrow Jr. | Published: 9/5/2017
The story behind the Cooler Heads Coalition – an umbrella group in the vanguard of efforts to cast doubt on the gravity of climate change and thwart government efforts to address it – illuminates the influential, little-known role that tax-exempt public charities play in modern campaigns to sway lawmakers and shape policy while claiming to be nonpartisan educational organizations. It also offers insight into the forces behind a decision by President Trump that infuriated scientists and environmentalists, mystified U.S. allies, and went against the advice of some major corporations.
Democrats Say ‘Citizens United’ Should Die. Here’s Why That Won’t Happen.
Center for Public Integrity – Sarah Kleiner | Published: 8/31/2017
Seizing on the specter of Russian election influence, Democrats have ramped up their quixotic effort to blunt Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which unleashed a torrent of special interest spending on U.S. elections. They have introduced two dozen bills related to money in politics. Some are aimed at increasing donor transparency, others are targeting massive contributions from special interests. A couple are intent on reforming the FEC. None have had a single formal hearing, much less an up-or-down vote in either the House or Senate.
Trump Gets Millions from Golf Members. CEOs and Lobbyists Get Access to President
USA Today – Brad Heath, Fredreka Schouten, Steve Reilly, Nick Pezenstadler, and Aamer Madhani | Published: 9/6/2017
Members of clubs that Donald Trump owns and has visited most often as president include at least 50 executives whose companies hold federal contracts and 21 lobbyists and trade group officials. Two-thirds played on one of the 58 days Trump was there. A USA Today shows that for the first time in U.S. history, wealthy people with interests before the government have a chance for close and confidential access to the president as a result of payments that enrich him personally. The arrangement is legal, and members said they did not use the clubs to discuss government business. Nonetheless, ethics experts questioned whether it is appropriate for a sitting president to collect money from lobbyists and others who spend their days trying to shape federal policy or win government business.
From the States and Municipalities:
California
SF’s Political Watchdog Agency Proposes Sweeping Reforms, Nonprofits Cry Foul
San Francisco Examiner – Joshua Sabitini | Published: 9/4/2017
The San Francisco Ethics Commission is taking on the notorious “pay-to-play” culture at City Hall with proposed sweeping reforms. But some of the provisions have drawn the ire of nonprofits that warn it will deal a significant blow to their fundraising. One provision being discussed in the reform package would prohibit city commissioners from helping to raise money for candidates. Many nonprofit leaders blasted a portion of the sweeping reforms that would restrict so-called behested payments, which are contributions made to groups or causes at the request of elected officials.
Colorado
Denver Proposal Aims to Force Disclosure of Independent Spending in Elections as ‘Dark Money’ Trickles Down
Denver Post – Jon Murray | Published: 9/4/2017
A Denver City Council proposal seeks to close transparency gaps that allow “dark money” to go unreported as long as the people behind it do not coordinate directly with a candidate’s campaign. The proposal would adopt the state definitions of “independent expenditure” and “electioneering communication.” The individual, company, or other group behind the independent spending would have to file public reports within two days after more than $1,000 is spent, including disclosing anyone who gives more than $25 to the effort. They also would have to make clear on any mailers, broadcast ads, or other advertising who paid for them and the independence from the candidate’s or issue’s official campaign. The proposal also would modify the city’s campaign finance ordinance in other ways.
Maryland
Facing Minor Fine, Hogan Campaign Lawyer Threatens Attorney General Frosh
Washington Post – Fenit Nirappil | Published: 8/31/2017
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s re-election campaign could be hit with a $250 fine for a minor violation of state election law, an inconvenience that has erupted into a partisan brawl. Hogan’s campaign attorney, Dirk Haire, who also chairs the Maryland Republican Party, will ask the state prosecutor’s office to launch an official misconduct investigation if state Attorney General Brian Frosh does not act to block the fine, which was proposed by staffers at the Board of Elections in response to a complaint from Maryland Democratic Party Chairperson Kathleen Matthews. Haire is also threatening to file a complaint alleging Frosh’s campaign illegally charged children for ice cream at a fundraiser.
Missouri
Councilwoman Repays Lobbyist, Concerned over Gifting
St. Joseph News-Press – Brendan Welch | Published: 9/6/2017
St. Joseph City Council Member Joyce Starr presented a check to a local lobbyist during a council meeting to avoid taking what she considered to be an unethical gift. Starr said council members often go out in a group after meetings to HiHo Bar and Grill, and Kenneth Reeder, a local political activist and lobbyist, is usually in attendance. She said after the August 11 council meeting, she discovered Reeder was being repaid for purchasing them dinner and drinks, and was not comfortable with it. Starr said the check was only for four dollars, “but it’s just the principle of the thing.”
South Carolina
Rep. Jim Merrill Pleads Guilty to Misconduct, Agrees to Assist Investigators in Statehouse Corruption Probe
Charleston Post and Courier – Glenn Smith and Andrew Brown | Published: 9/1/2017
South Carolina Rep. Jim Merrill pleaded guilty to using his office for personal profit, resigned his seat in the Legislature, and was sentenced to one year of probation. The plea agreement requires him to cooperate with state investigators and the FBI as they continue to probe corruption at the statehouse. Merrill was accused of using his office and his consulting firm to garner more than $1 million from trade groups and companies at a time when he was both a lawmaker and a consultant. He failed to report money he received from companies and groups that lobby legislators, did not file reports of campaign-related spending from the House Republican Caucus, and overcharged for his work.
Texas
Court: Texas Can Enforce New Voter ID Law in November
Governing – Allie Morris | Published: 9/6/2017
A federal appeals court panel ruled Texas can use its revised voter ID measure for the upcoming November elections, the latest in a series of winding legal battles on whether the state has intentionally discriminated against black and Latino voters through its original law passed in 2011 In August, U.S. District Court Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos threw out Senate Bill 5, which the state Legislature passed earlier this year and in some ways softened the previous requirements that Texans present one of seven forms of photo ID at the polls in order to cast a ballot. Ramos said the state’s new voter ID law failed to fix the intentional discrimination against minority voters found in a 2011 law. The stay suspends that order until the appeals court can hear the merits for and against the state’s appeal.
Texas
Fred Lewis Appointment Stirs Controversy
Austin Monitor – Jo Clifton | Published: 9/1/2017
Fred Lewis, an attorney who served as the main architect of Austin’s new lobbying ordinance, surprisingly became the center of a controversy when the city council appointed him to serve on the Charter Review Commission. Lewis worked for many months on an ordinance specifically aimed at preventing lobbyists from serving on city commissions.
West Virginia
Charge Dropped Against Reporter Who Questioned Tom Price
New York Times – Matt Stevens | Published: 9/6/2017
West Virginia prosecutors dropped charges against a reporter who was arrested after peppering U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price with healthcare policy questions while following him down a hallway at the Capitol. Prosecutors said the reporter, Dan Heyman, broke no laws. Heyman was arrested and jailed for willful disruption of state government processes. The arrest drew condemnation from civil rights and journalists’ rights groups, who said Heyman was merely performing his constitutionally protected duties.
Wisconsin
Report: New Ethics Commission has conducted just 1 investigation, says compliance is up
Wisconsin State Journal – Mark Sommerhauser | Published: 9/3/2017
A new report shows Wisconsin’s Ethics Commission investigated just one alleged violation in its first year of operation. That is a far less active pace than its predecessor, the Government Accountability Board (GAB). Republican lawmakers and Gov. Scott Walker created the Ethics Commission, saying the GAB was too partisan. Much of the new commission’s workings are shrouded by law. Hidden from public view are complaints alleging violations of ethics, campaign finance, or lobbying laws, as well as deliberations by the commission on whether to investigate complaints.
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
September 7, 2017 •
Thursday’s Government and Ethics News
Lobbying “A Two-Decade Crusade by Conservative Charities Fueled Trump’s Exit from Paris Climate Accord” by Robert O’Harrow Jr. for Washington Post Florida: “Hernando Commission to Debate Ordinance Requiring Lobbyists to Register” by Barbara Behrendt for Tampa Bay Times Campaign Finance […]
Lobbying
“A Two-Decade Crusade by Conservative Charities Fueled Trump’s Exit from Paris Climate Accord” by Robert O’Harrow Jr. for Washington Post
Florida: “Hernando Commission to Debate Ordinance Requiring Lobbyists to Register” by Barbara Behrendt for Tampa Bay Times
Campaign Finance
“Facebook Says It Sold Political Ads to Russian Company During 2016 Election” by Carol Leonnig, Tom Hamburger, and Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post
Montana: “Gov. Bullock Settles Campaign Violation Over State Airplane for $3,000” by Tom Lutey for Billings Gazette
New Mexico: “New Mexico Candidate Seeks Court Injunction to Access Cash” by Morgan Lee (Associated Press) for U.S. News & World Report
Ethics
“Trump Gets Millions from Golf Members. CEOs and Lobbyists Get Access to President” by Brad Heath, Fredreka Schouten, Steve Reilly, Nick Pezenstadler, and Aamer Madhani for USA Today
California: “Prosecution Freezes Assets of Fired Centinela Superintendent Facing Embezzlement Charges” by Larry Altman for Los Angeles Daily Breeze
Connecticut: “Ex-Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez Pleads Guilty to Bribe Receiving, Attempted Larceny; Spared Prison” by David Owens and Jenna Carlesso for Hartford Courant
Florida: “Prosecutors Had 5 Years to Charge ex-U.S. Rep. David Rivera. Now Time Has Run Out.” by Patricia Mazzei for Miami Herald
Georgia: “Reed to Ethics Board: ‘I don’t have an ax to grind’” by Nicole Carr for WSB
Elections
“Software Glitch or Russian Hackers? Election Problems Draw Little Scrutiny” by Nicole Pearlroth, Michael Wines, and Matthew Rosenberg for New York Times
Texas: “Court: Texas Can Enforce New Voter ID Law in November” by Allie Morris for Governing
September 6, 2017 •
California Governor Signs Two Bills Amending the Political Reform Act of 1974
Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 187 and Assembly Bill 551 into law on September 1, amending both lobbying and campaign finance laws. Assembly Bill 187 requires a committee to file a report within 10 business days of making a […]
Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 187 and Assembly Bill 551 into law on September 1, amending both lobbying and campaign finance laws.
Assembly Bill 187 requires a committee to file a report within 10 business days of making a contribution or independent expenditure aggregating $5,000 or more to support or oppose the qualification of a single local initiative or referendum ballot measure.
Assembly Bill 551 extends revolving door restrictions to independent contractors of a local government agency or a public agency who are appearing or communicating on behalf of that agency.
Both bills are effective January 1, 2018.
September 6, 2017 •
Wednesday’s Government and Ethics News
Lobbying Delaware: “Politics of Persuasion: Dozens of lobbyists now work the legislature for more than 200 groups” by Matt Bittle for Delaware State News Texas: “Fred Lewis Appointment Stirs Controversy” by Jo Clifton for Austin Monitor Campaign Finance “Democrats Say […]
Lobbying
Delaware: “Politics of Persuasion: Dozens of lobbyists now work the legislature for more than 200 groups” by Matt Bittle for Delaware State News
Texas: “Fred Lewis Appointment Stirs Controversy” by Jo Clifton for Austin Monitor
Campaign Finance
“Democrats Say ‘Citizens United’ Should Die. Here’s Why That Won’t Happen.” by Sarah Kleiner for Center for Public Integrity
California: “SF’s Political Watchdog Agency Proposes Sweeping Reforms, Nonprofits Cry Foul” by Joshua Sabitini for San Francisco Examiner
Colorado: “Denver Proposal Aims to Force Disclosure of Independent Spending in Elections as ‘Dark Money’ Trickles Down” by Jon Murray for Denver Post
Maine: “Pressed to Reveal Funding Sources, Miami Real Estate Developer Withdraws from York County Casino Campaign” by Scott Thistle for Portland Press Herald
Ethics
“Mueller Examining Trump’s Draft Letter Firing FBI Director Comey” by Rosalind Helderman, Carol Leonnig, and Ashley Parker for Washington Post
“Menendez Trial Set to Begin with Tensions High and Washington Watching” by Nick Corasaniti for New York Times
Hawaii: “OHA’s Peter Apo To Pay $25,000 For Ethics Violations” by Nick Grube for Honolulu Civil Beat
Wisconsin: “Report: New Ethics Commission has conducted just 1 investigation, says compliance is up” by Mark Sommerhauser for Wisconsin State Journal
Procurement
New Mexico: “New Mexico Sues Chiefs Owner Clark Hunt, Alleging Kickbacks in $300 Million Investment” by Robert Cronkelton and Ian Cummings for Kansas City Star
September 5, 2017 •
Tuesday’s Government and Ethics News
Lobbying Maine: “State Workers Drop Mandatory Union Fees in Favor of More Pay” by Scott Thistle for Portland Press Herald Campaign Finance “Statehouses, Not Congress, Hosting Biggest Political Money Fights” by Ashley Balcerzak for Center for Public Integrity California: “‘Campaign […]
Lobbying
Maine: “State Workers Drop Mandatory Union Fees in Favor of More Pay” by Scott Thistle for Portland Press Herald
Campaign Finance
“Statehouses, Not Congress, Hosting Biggest Political Money Fights” by Ashley Balcerzak for Center for Public Integrity
California: “‘Campaign Guru’ Gets Prison in Azano San Diego Mayoral Election-Funding Scheme” by Kristina Davis for San Diego Union-Tribune
Maryland: “Facing Minor Fine, Hogan Campaign Lawyer Threatens Attorney General Frosh” by Fenit Nirappil for Washington Post
Ethics
“Manafort Notes from Russian Meet Refer to Political Contributions” by Ken Dilanian and Carol Lee for NBC News
“Treasury Inspector General to Review Mnuchin’s Flight to Fort Knox” by Drew Harwell for Washington Post
Arizona: “Arizona Utility Regulators Consider Adopting Ethics Policy in Wake of Controversies” by Ryan Randazzo for Arizona Republic
Pennsylvania: “Ex-Township Supervisor Agrees to Pay $327 Monthly on $105,000 Ethics Commission’s Sanction” by John Beauge for PennLive.com
South Carolia: “Rep. Jim Merrill Pleads Guilty to Misconduct, Agrees to Assist Investigators in Statehouse Corruption Probe” by Glenn Smith and Andrew Brown for Charleston Post and Courier
September 1, 2017 •
NYCU Video Digest – September 1, 2017
Becky is here to recap all the government, ethics and elections news from around the country.
Becky is here to recap all the government, ethics and elections news from around the country.
September 1, 2017 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 1, 2017
National: Campaign Regulation Foes Targeting State-Level Restrictions Center for Public Integrity – Ashley Balcerzak | Published: 8/31/2017 Having won significant battles at the federal level over campaign finance laws, political groups and libertarian nonprofits are now targeting state-level rules in […]
National:
Campaign Regulation Foes Targeting State-Level Restrictions
Center for Public Integrity – Ashley Balcerzak | Published: 8/31/2017
Having won significant battles at the federal level over campaign finance laws, political groups and libertarian nonprofits are now targeting state-level rules in district and appellate courts across the country. The effects could be wide-ranging. The most notable battles deal with when groups need to disclose their donors, and whether contribution limits trample on donors’ freedoms of speech and expression.
The New Front in the Gerrymandering Wars: Democracy vs. math
New York Times – Emily Bazelon | Published: 8/29/2017
Wisconsin Republicans tried hard to keep their legislative mapmaking process a secret, but they were not successful. In the first of two lawsuits brought by Democratic voters, three federal judges berated GOP leaders in 2012 for ‘‘flailing wildly in a desperate attempt to hide’’ their methods to assure Republican control of the state Legislature. A court ordered Republicans to turn over three computers. In 2016, a computer expert hired by the plaintiffs found spreadsheets that used a powerful new gerrymandering tool, based on sophisticated computer modeling.
Federal:
How to Get Rich in Trump’s Washington
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore | Published: 8/30/2017
Interests that have spent millions of dollars lobbying in Washington, D.C. were surprised by Donald Trump’s victory last November. By the end of his first 100 days in office, it seemed, Trump had not so much “drained the swamp” as enshrouded it in a fog of uncertainty. No previous president had changed his mind more often, or contradicted his cabinet so frequently, or permitted such ideological combat in the White House. Big corporations and trade associations did not quite know what to expect. But mostly, they did not know whom to contact. All of this inadvertently created an entirely new business model for Trump’s friends and former employees.
Members of Congress Scoring Personal Loans from Political Supporters
Center for Public Integrity – Nicholas Jahr and Ellen McCreary Ionas | Published: 8/29/2017
A review of financial disclosure forms filed by current members of the U.S. House and Senate reveals at least 19 have accepted loans from organizations or wealthy individuals instead of a bank or traditional financial institution. Often, these organizations and individuals rank among the lawmakers’ key political supporters. In two of these cases, the loans were made to members’ spouses. The loans range in value from $15,000 to $5 million. There is nothing illegal about such loans, even when the lender is also a campaign donor. But watchdog groups say such arrangements raise concerns about possible conflicts-of-interest.
Washington Lobbying Firms Receive Subpoenas as Part of Russia Probe
Washington Post – Carol Leonnig and Tom Hamburger | Published: 8/25/2017
Special counsel Robert Mueller issued grand jury subpoenas asking public relations and lobbying firms to provide records regarding their interactions with the consulting firms led by Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser to President Trump, and Paul Manafort, former chairperson of the Trump presidential campaign. The requests suggest Mueller’s investigators are looking closely at Manafort and Flynn, both of whom face possible legal jeopardy for allegedly failing to disclose foreign governments or parties may have been the beneficiaries of their consulting and lobbying work, as they seek potential links between Trump’s campaign and Russia.
From the States and Municipalities:
California
3 of 4 Colonies Corruption Defendants Found Not Guilty on All Charges
San Bernardino Sun – Joe Nelson and Richard Deatley | Published: 8/28/2017
Developer Jeff Burum and two former San Bernardino County officials – former Supervisor Paul Biane, and Mark Kirk, former chief of staff for then-county Supervisor Gary Ovit – were found not guilty of bribery, conflict-of-interest, and improper influence in an alleged scheme to get county approval of a $102 million court settlement in favor of a developer. Prosecutors alleged Burum paid $400,000 in political contributions to the defendants and former Board of Supervisors Chairperson Bill Postmus, who later entered a plea bargain with prosecutors and testified at the trial. The money, investigators alleged, were actually bribes or payments for delivering the settlement.
Florida
FBI Arranged Outings for Gillum, Others During NYC Trip
Tallahassee Democrat – Jeff Burlew | Published: 8/25/2017
The FBI may have tried to entice Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum through one of his close friends to see a Broadway show, catch a Major League Baseball game, and stay at a New York City hotel as part of its investigation into alleged public corruption in Tallahassee. Gillum, who had room reservations elsewhere, will not say if he stayed at or visited the Millennium Hotel in Manhattan, where an FBI agent posing as a developer had arranged rooms for him and others. He also will not say if he attended “Hamilton” or went to the New York Mets game. Public officials such as Gillum are required to report gifts valued over $100, though there are exceptions.
Georgia
White Lawmaker Warns Black Attorney She May ‘Go Missing’ If Confederate Statues Are Threatened
Washington Post – Cleve Wootson Jr. | Published: 8/30/2017
Georgia Rep. Jason Spencer said a former Democratic lawmaker might “go missing” if she continues to criticize Confederate statues. Spencer originally posted a photo with a memorial for Confederate President Jefferson Davis, saying the statue was Georgia’s history and used the hashtag #DealWithIt in a Facebook post. That prompted a response from former state Rep. LaDawn Jones, who told Spencer to “put your hoods and your tiki torches away. We are no longer afraid.” Spencer then said those who criticize the state’s Confederate history “will go missing in the Okefenokee” because people in South Georgia “will not put up with it like they do in Atlanta.”
Idaho
Lawmakers: Idaho ‘uniquely poised’ to stiffen campaign, lobbying disclosure requirements
Spokane Spoesman-Review – Betsy Russell | Published: 8/28/2017
Idaho lawmakers are mulling several key changes to the state’s campaign finance and lobbying laws. A bipartisan working group met for a second time to hear possible recommendations from the state’s top lobbyists and Secretary of State Lawerence Denney. The goal is to have the panel submit suggestions to before the 2018 legislative session begins in January. Some of the proposals would place new reporting requirements on PACs, and require lobbyists to report their expenditures year-round, rather than just during the legislative session.
Iowa
Special Interest Groups Spend Big at Iowa Capitol
Des Moines Register – Brianne Pfannenstiel | Published: 8/24/2017
A Des Moines Register analysis showed special interest groups in Iowa paid lobbyists about $20.4 million last year in an effort to sway policy on issues ranging from Medicaid to workers’ compensation to legalized fireworks. The data provide a broad look at who is vying for influence at the Capitol during a year in which Republicans took control of the House, Senate, and governor’s office for the first time in nearly 20 years. With the new power dynamic, many groups may choose to “lobby up,” either to capitalize on their new opportunity or to fight perceived threats, said lobbyist Jim Carney.
Kentucky
Ethics Group Wants to Know What Led Mnuchin to View Eclipse in Kentucky
Washington Post – Drew Harwell and Beth Reinhard | Published: 8/24/2017
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is seeking records detailing the cost of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin’s recent trip to Kentucky in a government plane, saying it “seems to have been planned around the solar eclipse.” Mnuchin and his wife, Louise Linton, watched the eclipse from the lawn of Fort Knox in Kentucky, which was just outside the path of totality. It was Linton’s sharing of the expensive designer labels of her outfit as she stepped off the plane in Kentucky in an Instagram post and her subsequent rant against a commenter who criticized it that first raised eyebrows.
Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, Lobbyists Outnumber Lawmakers Seven-to-One
WWLP – Steve LeBlanc (Associated Press) | Published: 8/27/2017
There are now more than seven lobbyists for each of the 200 state lawmakers in Massachusetts. From 2006 to 2016, the number of active lobbyists jumped by about 1,000. A big part of the increase is due to a law that took effect in 2009 aimed at sharpening the definition of a lobbyist. Before the new law, an individual was not considered to be a lobbyist if he or she spent less than 50 hours lobbying, or received less than $5,000 in lobbying fees, during each six-month reporting period. The new law tightened that to 25 hours, or $2,500.
Michigan
Attorney: Michigan super PACs face ‘firestorm’ of fines
Detroit News – Jonathan Oosting | Published: 8/28/2017
Attorney Bob LaBrant asked Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson’s office to clarify state rules governing super PAC contributions in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2012 that opened the doors for unlimited but independent political spending as a form of free speech. Michigan has not updated its campaign finance laws to reflect the decision, and LaBrant argues a little-known state Bureau of Elections action in 2014 could lay the groundwork for a “firestorm” of complaints and fines that would cut across business, labor, conservative, and liberal donors.
Montana
Discounted Sale of US Interior Secretary’s Motor Home Raises Questions
ABC News – Bobcaina Calvin (Associated Press) | Published: 8/28/2017
U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s dormant congressional campaign committee recently sold a 2004 motor home at a steep discount to Montana Sen. Ed Buttrey. But a seemingly ordinary transaction between friends, when seen through the optics of stringent campaign finance laws, can raise a bevy of questions. After learning about the transaction, watchdogs are raising a $25,000 question: Why would Zinke’s campaign committee sell the Kountry Star Freightliner for half the price of its apparent $50,000 market value? The FEC prohibits political committees to sell assets, including campaign vehicles, below fair market value.
Washington
Is Olympia Lawyer the Democrats’ Champion in Complaint-Filing War?
Tacoma News Tribune – Melissa Santos | Published: 8/27/2017
A conservative activist has been taking aim at Democrats and liberal groups for the past year, filing at least 120 complaints saying they have broken Washington state’s campaign finance laws. Now, someone is turning the tables, saying conservative Glen Morgan and a group he leads have committed some of the same financial reporting violations. Walter Smith, an Olympia attorney, said he is concerned that the state’s campaign finance laws are being enforced unevenly due to the volume of complaints Morgan has filed against Democratic candidates in recent months.
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 31, 2017 •
Thursday’s Government and Ethics News Roundup
Lobbying “How to Get Rich in Trump’s Washington” by Nicholas Confessore for New York Times Oregon: “Marijuana Lobbyists Harvest Cash from Bankers, Accountants, Lawyers and Others” by Scott Thistle for Portland Press Herald Utah: “State Lawmaker Chosen to Head Utah […]
Lobbying
“How to Get Rich in Trump’s Washington” by Nicholas Confessore for New York Times
Oregon: “Marijuana Lobbyists Harvest Cash from Bankers, Accountants, Lawyers and Others” by Scott Thistle for Portland Press Herald
Utah: “State Lawmaker Chosen to Head Utah Technology Council Advocacy Group” by Lee Davidson for Salt Lake Tribune
Campaign Finance
Arizona: “Utility Regulators Consider Giving Service Territory to Campaign Donors” by Ryan Randazzo for Arizona Republic
Ethics
“DOJ Is Investigating Whether Uber Broke the Law Against Foreign Bribery” by Elizabeth Dwoskin for Washington Post
“Members of Congress Scoring Personal Loans from Political Supporters” by Nicholas Jahr and Ellen McCreary Ionas for Center for Public Integrity
Alaska: “New Ballot Initiative Targets Legislators’ Per Diem Pay” by James Brooks for Juneau Empire
New York: “State Worker Is Interrogated for Allegedly Letting Someone in the Building” by Rick Karlin for Albany Times Union
Procurement
Missouri: “KCI Contract Selection Delayed by Conflict of Interest Complaint against Justus” by Steve Vockrodt and Lynn Horsley for Kansas City Star
August 30, 2017 •
Idaho Secretary of State Suggests Changes to Ethics and Campaign Finance Laws
Following suggestions from a working group of the legislature, Sec. of State Lawerence Denney presented a series of ethics and campaign finance draft bills to improve the state’s public disclosure system. The suggested changes include limiting PACs from accepting more […]
Following suggestions from a working group of the legislature, Sec. of State Lawerence Denney presented a series of ethics and campaign finance draft bills to improve the state’s public disclosure system.
The suggested changes include limiting PACs from accepting more than $1,000 from other PACs unless the contributing PAC is registered with the state, removing an exception for local election reporting, increasing the frequency of campaign finance reporting, and requiring lobbyists to report all year, rather than only while the legislature is in session. Increasing fines for reporting violations is also on the table.
With ample funding available, the Sec. of State’s office would also like to see major improvements to the online reporting system. Critics are concerned increased reporting would be too burdensome and dissuade citizens from getting involved in the political process.
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