Federal:

Companies Used Clinton Fundraisers to Lobby State Department
USA Today – Kevin McCoy | Published: 10/18/2016

While it is widely known that some companies and foreign governments gave money to the Clinton family’s foundations, perhaps in an effort to gain favor, one of the key parts of the puzzle has not been reported: at least a dozen of those same companies lobbied the State Department using lobbyists who doubled as major Clinton campaign fundraisers, according to a USA Today analysis. Those companies gave as much as $16 million to the Clinton charities. At least four of the lobbyists they hired are “Hillblazers,” the campaign’s name for supporters who have raised $100,000 or more for her current White House race.

Dems Use Loophole to Pump Millions into Fight for the House
Politico – Scott Bland | Published: 10/18/2016

The Democratic Party is directing millions of extra dollars to its House candidates this fall by way of a legal loophole that has helped them bypass the typical limits on coordinated spending between parties and candidates, all while linking some vulnerable Republicans to Donald Trump. Typically, FEC regulations limit parties to just $48,100 of spending in direct coordination with most House candidates. But under a decade-old precedent, candidates who word their television ads a certain way can split the cost of those ads with their party, even if that means blowing past the normal coordinated spending caps.

Do Campaign Ads Matter? Donald Trump Gives a Rare Chance to Find Out
New York Times – Lynn Vavreck | Published: 10/19/2016

Since June, there have been roughly 300,000 television commercials on behalf of presidential candidates. Most of them have been in Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina, but a small number have been on national networks. Eighty percent of the ads to date were run by or on behalf of Hillary Clinton, while only 18 percent were shown by or on behalf of Donald Trump. Nearly everywhere the race is competitive, Clinton has run far more ads. Trump prefers a different style of campaigning, with rallies and the free media coverage of them, along with his frequent Twitter posts. Fundraising has taken a back seat. This year is a chance to find out whether Trump’s method is a good substitute for a conventional ad campaign.

Ripples from the ‘How Low Can They Go’ Campaign
New York Times – Patrick Healy and Farah Stockman | Published: 10/16/2016

For voters across party lines, the presidential race was already considered ugly and exhausting, dominated by two candidates many voters find deplorable. And yet it somehow managed to tip into something worse in recent days: a twilight zone of politics where sexual assault accusations have become consuming issues in the final weeks of the campaign. Among many Democrats, despair is setting in that the next president could be, in their minds, a sexual predator. Among many Republicans, disgust is widespread that the next president could be married to a man who was, as they see it, a serial adulterer at best. The election result now seems guaranteed to feel like a violation of the body politic for one half of the country or the other.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – How the Federal Government’s Bribery Case Against 2 Brothers Unraveled
Los Angeles Times – Joel Rubin | Published: 10/17/2016

Last October, FBI agents arrested Sukhbir Singh and his brother Jimmy Sandhu, the owners of a tow truck company. The men were charged with bribing a member of the Huntington Park City Council in an effort to buy his support for higher towing fees. The lead agent in the case laid out in court papers seemingly irrefutable evidence against the men: for more than a year, the council member had been working as an informant and secretly recorded his conversations with the brothers. The recordings appeared to show the men offering money in exchange for the councilperson’s vote. The case, however, was anything but open and shut. Since the arrests, the government’s case against Singh and Sandhu has all but unraveled.

Massachusetts
Federal Judge Asks: Is DiMasi benefiting from political connections?
Boston Globe – Milton Valencia and John Ellement | Published: 10/17/2016

The federal judge tasked with deciding whether to grant former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi early release from prison demanded to know if DiMasi is benefiting from political connections that have survived his corruption conviction. U.S. District Court Judge Mark Wolf ordered federal prosecutors and attorneys for DiMasi to provide him with more information justifying his early release from prison on compassionate grounds. Wolf expressed concern that releasing a state official convicted of corruption could be seen as prosecutors assisting a politically-connected individual, while lesser-known prisoners with similar health issues do not get the same relief.

Massachusetts
Lawmakers Weigh Call for Special Panel to Review Ethics Laws
Boston Herald; Associated Press | Published: 10/18/2016

A legislative committee held a public hearing on Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo’s resolution to create an 11-member Task Force on Integrity in State and Local Government. If approved, the task force would review the state’s conflict-of-interest and ethics rules, and campaign finance and lobbying laws. It would also look at the feasibility of extending state lobbying laws to cities and towns. DeLeo began floating the idea of the ethics panel after reports surfaced of a federal investigation into whether state Sen. Brian Joyce had used his official position to boost his private law practice.

Missouri
Amendment 2 Could Bring Campaign Donation Limits Back to Missouri
KWMU – Jason Rosenbaum | Published: 10/14/2016

There is a good chance that Missouri’s system of unlimited campaign contributions may be coming to an end. The ballot measure that would make the change, Amendment 2, has little organized opposition. And a prior ballot initiative in the 1990s that capped political donations passed without much trouble. But even if the measure passes and survives an expected court fight, opponents of the proposal say it may not actually stem the flow of money into Missouri politics. Instead, they contend it may steer a deluge of cash into other types of committees that would not be affected by the amendment.

New York – JCOPE Releases Draft Lobbying, Funding Regulations
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 10/13/2016

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) proposed new regulations for lobbying in New York. JCOPE is seeking public comments and plans to hold a hearing before it formally considers the proposal drafted by its staff. Changes that follow legislation enacted this year call for lowering the filing threshold for total lobbying expenditures from $50,000 to $15,000 and reducing the minimum contribution amount that requires source disclosure from $5,000 to $2,500. The draft rules would formally expand lobbying to include efforts such as setting up a meeting between a lawmaker and lobbyist, not just directly lobbying a lawmaker. They also clarify the definitions of “grassroots lobbying.”

New York – Lobbyist Todd Howe: $85,000 from Cor Development was a bribe, not a loan
Syracuse.com – Tim Knauss | Published: 10/17/2016

A lobbyist with ties to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has a novel argument why he should not be forced to repay a company $85,000: it was meant to be a bribe, not a loan. Cor Development is suing its former lobbyist Todd Howe for the money. Howe has already pleaded guilty for his role in a massive “pay-to-play” scandal involving a number of the governor’s upstate economic development initiatives that led to the arrest of nine Cuomo associates or donors. Among those arrested were two top Cor executives.

Ohio – Former Red-Light Camera Exec Sentenced for Role in Bribery Scheme
Columbus Dispatch – Rick Rouan | Published: 10/19/2016

Karen Finley, the former chief executive officer of Redflex Traffic Systems, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for her role in a bribes-for-contracts scheme in Ohio. Investigators said Finley was part of a scheme to funnel $70,000 in bribes through campaign contributions to elected officials in Columbus and Cincinnati to bring red-light cameras to the cities. Lobbyist John Raphael was the middleman in the scheme, according to investigators. Finley and others provided the campaign contributions to Raphael by paying him false invoices for “consulting services,” they said, and Raphael then made personal contributions to the campaigns of elected officials or to the state and local Democratic parties.

South Dakota – National Groups Spar over South Dakota Ballot Measure
Center for Public Integrity – Liz Essley Whyte | Published: 10/13/2016

South Dakotans in November will be asked to vote on a measure that would initiate public financing of campaigns, expand disclosure of political donors, and creating an ethics commission to police legislators’ behavior. Both sides in the debate are planning to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get what they want. But neither side hails from South Dakota. It is a twist on the notion that all politics is local. When it comes to statewide ballot measures, most politics is actually national.

Tennessee – Mark Cate, Former Bill Haslam Top Aide, Registers as Lobbyist
The Tennessean – Dave Boucher and Nate Rau | Published: 10/15/2016

The day after The Tennessean published an August investigation into the activities of Mark Cate, Gov. Bill Haslam’s former chief of staff, Cate registered with the state as a lobbyist. The investigation noted Cate’s relationship with several prominent entities and the services he provided during a one-year waiting period, during which elected officials and high-ranking staff members are not allowed to serve as lobbyists. Cate denied lobbying for those companies. In one case, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. (CVC) said Cate was helping with legislation, then later clarified he was not lobbying. Cate has since registered as a lobbyist for the CVC and eight other companies.

Texas – Plagued by Corruption Allegations, Dallas County Now Has Formal Purchasing Rules
Dallas Morning News – Naomi Martin | Published: 10/18/2016

Dallas County commissioners approved a new purchasing manual that leaders hope will strengthen the county’s contracting process, which has long been plagued by allegations of political meddling. Overhauling the troubled purchasing department has taken years. A 2009 outside report first identified 25 shortcomings in the county’s process for managing its hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of contracts. Commissioner John Wiley Price was indicted in 2014 on federal charges of rigging bids and taking kickbacks, charges he denies, but that highlighted the lack of official oversight.

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

“Clinton Has Been Unclear on Curbing Lobbyist Influence” by Annie Linskey for Boston Globe

Campaign Finance

“Dems Use Loophole to Pump Millions into Fight for the House” by Scott Bland for Politico

“Do Campaign Ads Matter? Donald Trump Gives a Rare Chance to Find Out” by Lynn Vavreck for New York Times

New York: “Federal Inquiry into Mayor de Blasio Is Said to Focus on Whether Donors Got Favors” by William Rashbaum for New York Times

Ohio: “Former Red-Light Camera Exec Sentenced for Role in Bribery Scheme” by Rick Rouan for Columbus Dispatch

Ethics

“Clinton and Trump Transitions Must Follow Strict Ethics Rules, Groups Say” by Elise Viebeck for Washington Post

Connecticut: “Former Mayor Eddie Perez Has Corruption Convictions Vacated” by David Owens for Hartford Courant

Massachusetts: “Lawmakers Weigh Call for Special Panel to Review Ethics Laws” by The Associated Press for Boston Herald

Elections

“At Third Debate, Trump Won’t Commit to Accepting Election Results If He Loses” by Karen Tumulty and Philip Rucker for Washington Post

Procurement

Texas: “Plagued by Corruption Allegations, Dallas County Now Has Formal Purchasing Rules” by Naomi Martin for Dallas Morning News

Lobbying

“Companies Used Clinton Fundraisers to Lobby State Department” by Kevin McCoy for USA Today

Florida: “Miami Beach Voters to Weigh Ballot Questions” by Joey Flechas for Miami Herald

New York: “Lobbyist Todd Howe: $85,000 from Cor Development was a bribe, not a loan” by Tim Knauss for Syracuse.com

Ethics

“Trump Proposes Five-Year Ban on Executive Branch Officials and Lawmakers Who Want to Become Lobbyists” by Catherine Ho for Washington Post

“Proposed STOCK Act Rule Puts Focus on High-Level Employees” by Louis LaBrecque for Bloomberg BNA

“Documents Show State Dept. Official Pressed FBI to Change Classification of One of Clinton’s Emails” by Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post

California: “How the Federal Government’s Bribery Case Against 2 Brothers Unraveled” by Joel Rubin for Los Angeles Times

Massachusetts: “Federal Judge Asks: Is DiMasi benefiting from political connections?” by Milton Valencia and John Ellement for Boston Globe

Elections

“In Hindsight, Backers of Bernie Sanders Lament What Might Have Been” by Matt Flegenheimer and Yamiche Alcindor for New York Times

Lobbying

Pennsylvania: “Judge Tosses Case Against Philly Lobbyist Accused of Misspending Welfare Grants” by Jeremy Roebuck for Philadelphia Inquirer

Tennessee: “Mark Cate, Former Bill Haslam Top Aide, Registers as Lobbyist” by Dave Boucher and Nate Rau for The Tennessean

Campaign Finance

Missouri: “Donors Behind $2M Check to Missouri’s Greitens Still Secret” by Summer Ballentine (Associated Press) for ABC News

Ethics

“Hacked Emails Show Extent of Foreign Government Donations to Clinton Foundation” by Rosalind Helderman for Washington Post

Michigan: “Trash Hauler Rizzo Key Player in Macomb County Corruption Probe” by Tresa Baldas and Christina Hall for Detroit Free Press

Elections

“Officials Fight Donald Trump’s Claims of a Rigged Vote” by Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns for New York Times

“Ripples from the ‘How Low Can They Go’ Campaign” by Patrick Healy and Farah Stockman for New York Times

North Carolina: “No Suspects: Local GOP headquarters set ablaze in N.C., swastika spray-painted nearby” by Derek Hawkins for Washington Post

Redistricting

“Obama, Holder to Lead Post-Trump Redistricting Campaign” by Edward-Isaac Dovere for Politico

On October 18, the Massachusetts House of Representatives will consider whether to create a temporary committee to review the state’s ethics laws.

The panel, called the Task Force on Integrity in State and Local Government, is being promoted by House Speaker Robert DeLeo. Its purpose would be to review laws concerning lobbying, campaign finance, and ethics.

If approved, the task force will file a report with the governor, the president of the Senate, and the speaker of the House regarding the results of its investigation and study by December 23, 2016.

Lobbying

California: “Proposition T Would Curtail Lobbyist Influence over City Hall” by Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez for San Francisco Examiner

New York: “JCOPE Releases Draft Lobbying, Funding Regulations” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

New York: “JCOPE rules would regulate tweets, Facebook posts” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Campaign Finance

“RNC TV Ad Spending for Trump: $0” by Kenneth Vogel and Alex Isenstadt for Politico

“Cut Ties to Donald Trump, Big Donors Urge R.N.C.” by Jonathan Martin, Alexander Burns, and Maggie Haberman for New York Times

California: “State Watchdog Unveils Online Complaint System” by Taryn Luna for Sacramento Bee

Missouri: “Amendment 2 Could Bring Campaign Donation Limits Back to Missouri” by Jason Rosenbaum for KWMU

Texas: “Texas Ethics Commission Ends 4-Year Probe into Empower Texans” by Sean Collins Walsh for Austin American-Statesman

Wisconsin: “Ethics Panel: OK for lawmaker to create his own political action committee” by Mark Sommerhauser for Wisconsin State Journal

Ethics

New Jersey: “Bridgegate Official Misconduct Complaint Against Christie Can Move Forward” by Myles Ma for Newark Star-Ledger

South Dakota: “National Groups Spar over South Dakota Ballot Measure” by Liz Essley Whyte for Center for Public Integrity

The New York Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) released a set of proposed lobbying regulations on October 13, 2016. The comprehensive regulations expand the definition of lobbying to include indirect lobbying, like setting up a meeting between a legislator and a lobbyist.

According to JCOPE, the purpose of the proposed regulations is to fully incorporate existing guidelines and decades of advisory opinions.

JCOPE is seeking public comment on the staff proposed regulations until November 21, 2016. Drafts of the rules may be found at http://www.jcope.ny.gov/advice/staffproposal.html.

See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!

Most of us have an idea of what lobbying is, but as states expand the definitions of lobbying, more activities may now trigger registration and reporting requirements. And, as states tighten political contribution rules, more and more contractors may run into problems because of pay-to-play laws. But in order to comply with the rules, you need to know the rules.

State and Federal Communications is taking part in two events over the next few weeks looking specifically at these issues. This fall our Compliance Client Specialist Nola Werren, Esq., will present “Compliance: Pay-to-Play and Procurement Lobbying Process” at events with the Public Affairs Council and WASRG, the Washington Area State Relations Group.

As an expert in the field, Nola will share her knowledge and experiences during a Public Affairs Council webinar and at the annual WASRG Symposium. Topics she will cover include the procurement process; lobbying requirements in the states, including best practices to ensure compliance; and pay-to-play laws. It is this area of pay-to-play, the nexus between making a contribution and the award of a contract, that can have far-reaching consequences for a business.

The Public Affairs Council’s webinar will be held on October 27^th and is entitled “Compliance: State-Level Laws and Recent Trends.” The WASRG Annual Symposium begins at noon on November 2^nd at Carmine’s at 425 7^th Street NW in Washington, DC.

Make sure you keep checking in with State and Federal Communications, Inc. We are your #1 resource on government relations compliance.

National:

Coke and Pepsi Give Millions to Public Health, Then Lobby Against It
New York Times – Anahad O’Connor | Published: 10/10/2016

Despite the fact that America has an obesity problem, fueled in part by the overconsumption of sugar, several prominent public health groups (including some that are government-run) have accepted money from soda companies in recent years. In a new study, researchers at Boston University School of Medicine report that between 2011 to 2015, 96 national health organizations accepted money from Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, or both companies. There has been increasing scrutiny in recent years of the soda industry’s influence over the public health debate, especially over soda’s link to obesity, and legislative efforts such as soda taxes and bans meant to curb its influence. The researchers looked at lobbying efforts by the companies and found both actively oppose legislation that targets soda and is designed to prevent obesity.

Gerrymandering Helped Republicans Take Control of Congress, but Now It’s Tearing Them Apart Over Trump
Los Angeles Times – Lisa Mascaro | Published: 10/11/2016

Across the country, Republicans in contested races face a terrible bind: they have to run from Donald Trump to hold onto swing votes, even if that angers some core supporters. But in secure, heavily conservative GOP districts, Republicans face the opposite pressure: to cleave fast to Trump, who remains popular despite statements that have alienated many voters. The crisis sparked by the Trump campaign has split the Republican Party in two, and ironically, the gerrymandering of districts that helped build the GOP congressional majority is now working to make that fracture worse.

Federal:

Donald Trump Finds Improbable Ally in WikiLeaks
New York Times – Patrick Healy, David Sanger, and Maggie Haberman | Published: 10/12/2016

Donald Trump, his advisers, and many of his supporters are increasingly seizing on a trove of embarrassing emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign that WikiLeaks has been publishing – and that U.S. intelligence agencies said came largely from Russian intelligence agencies, with the authorization of “Russia’s senior-most officials.” The Trump campaign’s willingness to use WikiLeaks is a turnabout after years of bipartisan criticism of the organization for past disclosures of American national security intelligence and other confidential information. The accusation that Russian agents are now playing an almost-daily role in helping fuel Trump’s latest political attacks on Clinton raises far greater concerns, though, about foreign interference in a presidential election.

Filmmaker Says Lobbying Firm Tried to ‘Thwart’ Screening of Documentary Critical of Herbalife
Washington Post – Emily Heil | Published: 10/10/2016

The Washington, D.C. screening of a documentary scrutinizing controversial multilevel marketing company Herbalife had 173 empty seats because Herbalife’s lobbying firm bought them out. The documentary, Ted Braun’s “Betting on Zero,” focuses on activist investor Bill Ackman’s quest to portray Herbalife as a pyramid scheme and profit from shorting its stock. Ten staffers of Heather Podesta + Partners, which lobbies for Herbalife, bought half the tickets and never picked them up, according to organizers of the film festival. At $15 a seat, the ruse cost more than $2,500. The company paid the firm $70,000 last quarter, lobbying disclosures show.

Trump Reels as More Accusers Emerge
Politico – Louis Nelson | Published: 10/13/2016

Multiple women have come forward to accuse Donald Trump of uninvited kissing or groping. The stories, which have been told to different news organizations, come after Trump denied during the most recent presidential debate that he had ever sexually assaulted a woman. He has also denied the latest reports in The New York Times, The Palm Beach Post, and People, calling them fabrications and threatening lawsuits. The women who spoke to The Times, who are both supporters of Hillary Clinton, said they felt compelled to speak out after Trump said he had never done the things he was caught boasting about on a 2005 videotape.

WikiLeaks Hack Reveals Cozy Relationship between Clinton Campaign, Super PAC
The Hill – Jonathan Swan | Published: 10/10/2016

A top attorney for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign sent a memorandum to campaign aides teaching them how to legally communicate with a pro-Clinton super PAC, emails released by WikiLeaks show. While Clinton has claimed her campaign has nothing to do with the super PAC Priorities USA, a leaked email from the personal account of Clinton’s campaign chairperson, John Podesta, suggests differently. In the email, Clinton attorney Marc Elias outlined what is basically a strategy for steering large campaign donors to the super PAC without breaking the law.

From the States and Municipalities:

Alaska – Lobbyist Bankrolled PAC Run by State Lawmaker Is Legal, APOC Staff Says
KTUU – Austin Baird | Published: 10/10/2016

Lobbyists bankrolling a PAC run by a sitting state lawmaker, an unconventional approach to financing campaigns that started happening this year, is not a violation of state law, according to an Alaska Public Offices Commission staff opinion. The source of the cash is at the core of the complaint against the group run by Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, which alleges wrongdoing on three fronts centered around the fact that several lobbyists who live outside of LeDoux’s district contributed $500 apiece. Alaska law allows paid lobbyists to contribute to legislative campaigns but only to candidates running in their own district.

California – State Lawmakers Got about $873,000 in Freebies Last Year, but the Gifts Can Be Difficult to Track
San Louis Obispo Tribune – Matt Fountain | Published: 10/8/2016

California lawmakers reported receiving about $873,000 in meals, entertainment, travel, and other gifts last year. Public officials across the state are required to file financial disclosure forms that are the public’s way of ensuring officials are making decisions based on the public interest and not their own financial gain. But the primarily paper-based system is inherently messy, with little consistency in how gifts are reported, making it cumbersome to verify some vague and incorrectly reported gifts. Legal loopholes regarding what constitutes free travel and degrees of separation between lobbyists and gift-giving render key aspects of the laws essentially toothless.

Hawaii – How Hawaii Companies Pay to Party It Up with Public Officials
Honolulu Civil Beat – Chad Blair | Published: 10/11/2016

Those attending and sponsoring the Hawaii Congress of Planning Officials included some of the most powerful business interests in the state who had the chance to hobnob with the kind of government officials who have influence on issues that affect them. State and county laws have strict rules about government officials receiving gifts, particularly if it appears those gifts could have an influence on their actions. But conferences like the recent three-day planning retreat on Kauai show how special interests are still able help pay to entertain an array of public officials.

Illinois – Chicago Politicians Warned on Use of Coveted Face-Value Cubs Playoff Tickets
Chicago Tribune – Hal Dardick | Published: 10/9/2016

Aldermen and city officials who take advantage of the Chicago Cubs’ offer to purchase playoff tickets at face value must accompany their guests to all games at Wrigley Field and be publicly announced to the crowd or risk violating the city’s ethics ordinance. Chicago Ethics Board Executive Director Steve Berlin noted the law prohibits city employees and elected officials from accepting gifts worth more than $50 and the difference between the face value of Cubs playoff tickets and the “commonly understood fair market value” exceeds that limit. But the ordinance does allow officials to attend events “in their official capacity,” he added. “It could be construed as a prohibited gift to the city official if they are not announced or if they give away or resell all tickets they purchased at this special price,” Berlin wrote.

Michigan – Secretive Funds Allow Michigan Lawmakers to Accept Corporate Cash
MLive.com – Craig Mauger (Michigan Campaign Finance Network) and Emily Lawler | Published: 10/11/2016

It is illegal for a corporation to give directly to a candidate’s campaign account in Michigan. But there is a difficult-to-trace and rarely discussed form of legal fundraising where many donations do not have to be disclosed. An investigation found at least 50 of Michigan’s House and Senate members, about one in three, are connected or have been connected to a nonprofit or administrative account. From 2013 to 2015, about $12.8 million flowed to more than 100 accounts connected to political parties, elected officeholders, and their consultants. Finding who runs these lawmaker-connected organizations, who gives to them, and what the contributions are used for can be extremely difficult.

Missouri – Aldermen Pass Legislation Limiting Campaign Contributions to $10,000 in St. Louis Elections
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Koran Addo | Published: 10/7/2016

Members of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen passed a pair of reform bills, one intended to keep wealthy donors from unduly influencing local elections and the other meant to keep elected officials honest about the gifts they receive. The first bill would limit campaign contributions in city elections to $10,000 per election cycle. It also would the Municipal Officials and Officers Ethics Commission to investigate campaign finance violations. The board also passed a bill requiring elected officials to report within 30 days any gift or travel expense valued at $375 or more given to them or an immediate family member. Violating the reporting requirement would result in docked pay.

New York – At Graft Scandal’s Center, a Lobbyist with a Long History in the Cuomo Orbit
New York Times – Vivian Yee | Published: 10/7/2016

For New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the corruption scandal that threatens to inflict lasting harm on his political career and his family’s legacy is a betrayal of multiple dimensions. It is a betrayal of his plans to revitalize the economies in western and central New York, and of the Cuomos’ political self-image, built by his father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo, on clean, competent, accountable government. And if anyone made it all possible, it seemed to be one of their own: Todd Howe, who has implicated himself and helped federal prosecutors charge eight other Cuomo advisers and donors in a wide-ranging bribery scheme surrounding the governor’s office.

New York – Disclosure Law for Outside Income Often Ignored, Rarely Enforced
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 10/11/2016

The recent spate of corruption charges in New York has sparked calls for closer scrutiny of state officials’ outside jobs. But a law already on the books that addresses the issue does not appear to be rigorously enforced. A 2011 law requires lobbyists or their clients who pay a state employee more than $1,000 in a year to submit a form detailing the exact amount every six months. It also requires a description of the nature of the state employee’s outside work. Since the law was passed, only 24 lobbying clients and 11 lobbyists have submitted paperwork detailing the hiring of state officials. Joint Commission on Public Ethics spokesperson Walter McClure said he did not know of someone ever been fined for failing to file this kind of report.

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.

On October 12, the City Council adopted a new lobbying law for the city of Reno, Nevada.

The Registration and Regulation of Lobbyists ordinance requires lobbyists to register with the city clerk, to inform the city of their clients, and to wear lobbyist badges when in City Hall. The ordinance also includes civil and criminal penalties.

The new law will take effect on January 1, 2017.

Lobbying

New York: “Lobbying Cuomo: How to get the governor on your side” by David Howard King for Gotham Gazette

Campaign Finance

Michigan: “Secretive Funds Allow Michigan Lawmakers to Accept Corporate Cash” by Craig Mauger (Michigan Campaign Finance Network) and Emily Lawler for MLive.com

Ethics

“Chelsea Flagged ‘Serious Concerns’ about Clinton Foundation Conflicts” by Kenneth Vogel for Politico

New York: “Disclosure Law for Outside Income Often Ignored, Rarely Enforced” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Elections

“Trump Faces a Slew of New Allegations of Sexual Assault” by David Graham for The Atlantic

“Gerrymandering Helped Republicans Take Control of Congress, but Now It’s Tearing Them Apart Over Trump” by Lisa Mascaro for Los Angeles Times

“Hillary Clinton, Paul Ryan and the Relationship That Could Shape Washington” by Robert Costa and Philip Rucker for Washington Post

“Group’s Tactic on Hillary Clinton: Sue her again and again” by Jonathan Mahler for New York Times

Florida: “Federal Judge Swipes at Scott’s Political ‘Poppycock,’ Extends Fla. Voter Registration Deadline” by Daniel Ducassi and Marc Caputo for Politico

Texas: “San Antonio Cops Face Discipline for Wearing ‘Make America Great Again’ Hats in Trump Video” by Derek Hawkins for Washington Post

Lobbying

“Coke and Pepsi Give Millions to Public Health, Then Lobby Against It” by Anahad O’Connor for New York Times

“Filmmaker Says Lobbying Firm Tried to ‘Thwart’ Screening of Documentary Critical of Herbalife” by Emily Heil for Washington Post

Florida: “Broward Health Begins Lobbyist Registration – 12 Years and Millions in Contracts Late” by Dan Christensen for FloridaBulldog.org

Hawaii: “How Hawaii Companies Pay to Party It Up with Public Officials” by Chad Blair for Honolulu Civil Beat

Campaign Finance

“WikiLeaks Hack Reveals Cozy Relationship between Clinton Campaign, Super PAC” by Jonathan Swan for The Hill

Alaska: “Lobbyist Bankrolled PAC Run by State Lawmaker Is Legal, APOC Staff Says” by Austin Baird for KTUU

Texas: “Dark Money Law Keeps PACs Busy” by Jo Clifton for Austin Monitor

Ethics

“Head of State Watchdog Agency Steps Down” by Paula Dobbyn for KTUU

Elections

“For Many Women, Trump’s ‘Locker Room Talk’ Brings Memories of Abuse” by Jonathan Mahler for New York Times

“How NBC Finished Second on the Trump Video Story” by John Koblin and Michael Grynbaum for New York Times

Lobbying

California: “State Lawmakers Got about $873,000 in Freebies Last Year, but the Gifts Can Be Difficult to Track” by Matt Fountain for San Louis Obispo Tribune

Oklahoma: “Oklahoma Legislator Wants Lawmakers Off Lobbyist Welfare” by Barbara Hoberock for Tulsa World

Campaign Finance

Missouri: “Aldermen Pass Legislation Limiting Campaign Contributions to $10,000 in St. Louis Elections” by Koran Addo for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Montana: “Can Motl Serve as State’s Campaign and Ethics Cop until 2019?” by Troy Carter for Bozeman Daily Chronicle

New York: “The New York City Campaign Finance Board and Its Scofflaws” by Samar Khurshid and Jarrett Murphy for Gotham Gazette

Ethics

Illinois: “Chicago Politicians Warned on Use of Coveted Face-Value Cubs Playoff Tickets” by Hal Dardick for Chicago Tribune

New York: “At Graft Scandal’s Center, a Lobbyist with a Long History in the Cuomo Orbit” by Vivian Yee for New York Times

Elections

“Leaked Speech Excerpts Show a Hillary Clinton at Ease with Wall Street” by Amy Chozick, Nicholas Confessore, and Michael Barbaro for New York Times

“Paul Ryan Won’t Defend or Campaign for Trump Ahead of Election” by Kelsey Snell and Juliet Eilperin for Washington Post