The Ethics Review Commission has given its support to Council Member Leslie Pool’s proposed lobbying law changes. These changes include broadening the definition of lobbyist, increasing disclosure requirements, and removing a loophole allowing part-time lobbyists to avoid registering.

Pool’s proposal has been met with opposition from those involved in the design and building industries. They claim the ordinance is too broad and would require architects, engineers, and others involved in the building industries to register as lobbyists. Also, many of these professionals currently serve on city boards and commissions. If they are required to register, they will have to resign from those seats because city law prohibits registered lobbyists from serving on city boards and commissions. The group representing the developers feels such a move would result in the city being robbed of valuable expertise.

This opposition has resulted in Pool making some changes to the ordinance, but the group representing developers is still not satisfied.

So far, registered lobbyists have not opposed the new changes even though the proposal would increase their reporting requirements. If passed, the ordinance would require lobbyists to provide greater detail about who they are representing, how much money is being spent on a lobbying efforts, and how much they receive in payments from clients.

The ordinance will now be presented to the Audit and Finance Committee. From there is will proceed through City Council, with a possible final vote coming early next year.

Photo of the Austin, Texas skyline by Erik A. Ellison on Wikimedia Commons.

Lobbying

“Ethics Commission Recommends Controversial Lobbying Ordinance” by Jack Craver for Austin Monitor

Campaign Finance

“FEC: Notable conservatives tied to nonprofit scofflaw” by Cady Zuvich for Center for Public Integrity

Alaska: “Campaign Finance Commission Says Group Tied to Gov. Walker Aide Broke Law” by Nathaniel Herz for Alaska Dispatch

District of Columbia: “D.C. Mayor’s Allies Reluctantly Shut down Controversial PAC” by Aaron Davis for Washington Post

Utah: “Pricey Mayoral Race Prompts Salt Lake City Council to Consider Campaign Finance Reform” by Katie McKellar for Deseret News

Ethics

Georgia: “Ethics Group Gives Georgia a D- for Ethics, Openness” by Walter Jones (Morris News Service) for Southern Political Report

Maryland: “Annapolis Commission Member Removed after Failure to Sign Ethics Compliance Form” by Chase Cook for Capital Gazette

North Carolina: “North Carolina Gets Mixed Marks on Integrity Report” by Mark Binker for WRAL

Elections

“Obama Legacy in State Offices: A shrinking Democratic share” by Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Michael Shear, and Alan Blinder for New York Times

“Time for GOP Panic? Establishment Worried Carson or Trump Might Win” by Philip Rucker and Robert Costa for Washington Post

Procurement

“D.C. Lawmakers Look at How to Fix the City’s Troubled Contracting Process” by Abigail Hauslohner for Washington Post

National:

Only Three States Score Higher Than D+ in State Integrity Investigation; 11 Flunk
Center for Public Integrity – Nicholas Kusnetz | Published: 11/9/2015

A new report found that in state after state, open records statutes are filled with exemptions, and part-time legislators and agency officials engage in conflicts-of-interest and close relationships with lobbyists while regulators struggle to enforce laws. The State Integrity Investigation measured hundreds of variables to compile transparency and accountability grades for all 50 states. The best grade in the nation, which went to Alaska, is just a “C.” Only two others earned better than a “D+”; 11 states received failing grades. Aside from a few exceptions, there has been little progress on these issues since the research was first carried out in 2012.

Federal:

Donald Trump Advertises Rising Value of Free Political Publicity
New York Times – Ashley Parker | Published: 11/9/2015

Thirty-second television commercials were once signs of a confident, well-financed candidacy for the White House. Now they are seen as a last resort of struggling campaigns that have not mastered the art of attracting the free media coverage that has lifted the political fortunes of insurgent campaigns. Donald Trump’s ability to command media attention and reach voters without depleting his campaign funds is just the latest example of the way his campaign has upended the conventional approach candidates have used to communicate with voters. In addition to having done countless interviews, Trump, who recently hosted “Saturday Night Live,” has been effective in using social media to attack his rivals, and many of his controversial quips on Twitter are rebroadcast by traditional news media outlets.

Even as House Speaker, Paul Ryan Sleeps in His Office
New York Times – Jennifer Steinhauer | Published: 11/10/2015

Like scores of other members of Congress, most of them Republican, Speaker Paul Ryan chooses to bed down in a cot in his office every night the House is in session. He chooses this over the speaker’s official palatial suite in the Capitol, which Ryan has pointed out stinks thanks to smoke from its prior inhabitant, John Boehner. For the lawmakers, the choice is fiscal, practical, and political. Many say they find Washington rental prices too high. Others say it allows them to work longer hours. Still others, like Ryan, say Washington is simply not their home. Some groups and other members have criticized the arrangement as essentially taxpayer-subsidized housing.

G.O.P. Fight Now a Battle over What Defines a Conservative
New York Times – Jonathan Martin | Published: 11/11/2015

For months, the Republican presidential race has been animated by the party’s anger about the state of the country and an equally undefined hope that a candidate would emerge who could usher in an era of renewal. But the most recent debate and its aftermath marked an abrupt transition from vague promises about making America “great again,” in Donald Trump’s phrase, to a new season of the campaign shaped more by the policy fissures that are dividing Republicans over what exactly to do about the nation’s problems. It exposed a contentious dispute over what it means to be a conservative and offered a preview of the contours of the battle for the Republican nomination.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – Conflict Concerns Won’t Keep Ethics Panel Out of Race
San Diego Union-Tribune – David Garrick | Published: 11/10/2015

The San Diego Ethics Commission will continue enforcing local campaign laws in the race to succeed City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, denying a candidate request that the commission recuse itself based on a potential conflict-of-interest. Rafael Castellanos asked for the recusal because one of his opponents in the race, Gil Cabrera, was a commission member from 2005 to 2010 and worked as special counsel for the commission in 2012 and 2013. The agency’s general counsel downplayed the potential conflict, noting only one of the commission’s seven members remains from when Cabrera served and only two members were there when he worked as a special counsel.

California – Follow the Money: Shining a light on political nonprofits
Capitol Weekly – John Howard | Published: 11/11/2015

California’s Political Reform Act has been largely untouchable for more than 40 years, but now it may get a rewrite. The catalyst for change comes from a tangled trail of some $15 million in so-called dark money that flowed via nonprofits into the state’s 2012 elections final stages. Ultimately, the spending resulted in a $1 million fine. The proposed changes would create, for the first time, a constitutional right to regulate political money and force disclosure. It would require the disclosure of the source of donations of $10,000 or more to nonprofits, when the money is used for political purposes, make explicit who is paying for political ads, and it double the “revolving door” waiting period to two years. The proposal outlaws lobbyists’ gifts to elected officials, and cuts the maximum value of a gift from a member of the public, now $460 annually, to $200 a year.

California – Lobbyist Meetings Missing from San Jose Council Calendars
San Jose Mercury News – Ramona Giwargis | Published: 11/8/2015

Elected officials in San Jose are falling short when it comes to disclosing meetings with lobbyists. A review found the mayor and every city council member had contacts with lobbyists this year that were not disclosed on the officials’ public calendar. Local law requires lobbyists to file quarterly reports on their contacts with elected officials. The San Jose Mercury News said lobbyists reported 105 more such contacts this year than city officials did. Council members defended themselves by saying the undisclosed contacts were human error, they did not realize they were chatting with a lobbyist, or the contacts were unexpected run-ins or email communications the policy does not require them to report. Watchdogs say the discrepancy undermines the goals of transparency and deceives the public.

Florida – Hialeah Mayor Tries to Pay County’s $4K Ethics Fine in Pennies
Miami Herald – Brenda Medina | Published: 11/6/2015

Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez finally decided pay the $4,000 fine the Miami-Dade County ethics commission imposed earlier this year on his business dealings. Hernandez sent the commission a truck stacked with 28 buckets filled with pennies to cover the fine. But his payment was not accepted. Apparently, the commission accepts only checks. “I paid it with American money, of the United States, and I have the right to do that,” said Hernandez.

New Hampshire – G.O.P. Candidates, Lagging, Rely on New Hampshire to Get Close
New York Times – Jonathan Martin | Published: 11/8/2015

Some Republican candidates are staking their presidential bids on an idea that seems increasingly quaint: that campaigning one on one in this small state can set you on the path to becoming president. It is a notion that is facing a rigorous test this election cycle, as the large Republican field, social media, and televised debates that attract massive audiences have reshaped the race like never before. The outcome in New Hampshire will echo beyond this election and reveal much about how the country chooses presidents, and whether the tradition of direct voting in the first-in-the-nation primary matters anymore. Its possible diminishment is already unsettling residents, who view their role of scrutinizing and winnowing the field of candidates as a solemn duty.

New York – Legislation Introduced to Tighten New York City Campaign Finance Rules
New York Daily News – Erin Durkin | Published: 11/9/2015

A package of bills to tighten New York City’s campaign finance rules was introduced in the city council. One bill would ban candidates from getting matching funds for donations raised by fundraisers who do business with the city. The legislation would also ban all candidates, including those who are not taking matching funds, from accepting contribution from political committees that are not registered with the city. Another bill would restrict contributions from businesses with numerous limited liability companies.

Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania Ethics Officials Crack Down on Lobbyists
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review – Kari Andren | Published: 11/11/2015

The Pennsylvania Ethics Commission is ramping up enforcement against groups that fail to file mandated quarterly expense reports, and the state House has approved a bill to up the ante for non-compliance by lobbyists and the groups they represent by dramatically increasing penalties for not abiding by disclosure rules. Thirty-one groups were cited for failing to file expense reports this year; fines and penalties total about $90,300. In 2014, the commission issued just 15 citations. The House bill would hike the maximum penalty imposed from $50 per day to a tiered system of $50 for the first 10 days, $100 for each of the next 10 days, and $200 for each late day after 20 days.

Texas – Ethics Commission Recommends Controversial Lobbying Ordinance
Austin Monitor – Jack Craver | Published: 11/12/2015

The Ethics Review Commission recommend to the Austin City Council a resolution aimed at overhauling city lobbying rules.  A revised draft crafted by a commission working group incorporated some of the concerns expressed by developers. Stuart Sampley, president of the Austin chapter of the American Institute of Architects, said the ordinance unfairly targeted development, design, and architectural professionals and misrepresented their day-to-day interactions with city officials as lobbying. The recommendations from the working group urged city staff to explore a number of potential negative effects of stricter lobbying requirements. Backers of the reform hope the measure will be on the agenda for council at its last meeting of the year on December 17.

Washington – Seattle’s Experiment with Campaign Funding
The Atlantic – Russell Berman | Published: 11/9/2015

Starting in 2017, Seattle residents will be able to contribute to local candidates without spending a dime of their own money. Instead, the government will send each registered voter four $25 vouchers that they can give to candidates of their choice. Candidates can opt out, but those who participate will have to abide by strict limits on spending and on receiving private donations. “The promise of vouchers is turning every single voter in the city into a donor,” said Alan Durning, the executive director of the Sightline Institute, a think tank and advocacy group that pushed for the new program. Critics have said the measure’s design will benefit incumbents and entrenched political organizations who do not need any extra boost.

Wisconsin – Senate GOP Votes to Overhaul Campaign Finance, Revamp Board
Albany Times Union – Todd Richmond (Associated Press) | Published: 11/7/2015

The Wisconsin Senate approved, with changes, a pair of bills altering the state’s campaign finance and election oversight rules. They will now return to the Assembly, which must approve the changes before sending the bills to Gov. Scott Walker. Republicans backing the proposals say they are necessary to bring the state’s statutes in line with court rulings and to protect First Amendment rights to free speech. Democrats argue the bills, along with one limiting the scope of crimes that can be investigated in so-called John Doe probes, would open the door for corruption and expand the influence of money in politics.

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: “Lobbyist Meetings Missing from San Jose Council Calendars” by Ramona Giwargis for San Jose Mercury News

Campaign Finance

Indiana: “Legislative War Chests: Purse or puppet strings?” by Marc Chase for Northwest Indiana Times

New York: “Backed by Nail Salon Owners, a New York Legislator Now Fights Reforms” by Sarah Maslin Nir for New York Times

Ethics

“Only Three States Score Higher Than D+ in State Integrity Investigation; 11 Flunk” by Nicholas Kusnetz for Center for Public Integrity

Arizona: “Survey: Arizona gets a ‘D’ for public access” by Joe Ferguson for Arizona Daily Star

New Jersey: “Advocacy Group’s Ranking of N.J. on Access, Integrity Falls Sharply” by Dustin Racioppi for Bergen Record

Ohio: “Ohio Graded D+ in Report on Integrity” by Jim Siegel for Columbus Dispatch

Wisconsin: “Senate GOP Votes to Overhaul Campaign Finance, Revamp Board” by Todd Richmond (Associated Press) for Albany Times Union

Wyoming: “Wyoming Second to Last in Transparency” by Laura Hancock for Billings Gazette

Elections

“Donald Trump Advertises Rising Value of Free Political Publicity” by Ashley Parker for New York Times

Lobbying

Texas: “Appeals Court Backs Ethics Commission over Activist” by Aman Batheja for Texas Tribune

Campaign Finance

“Fla. man who landed gyrocopter at Capitol to plead guilty to lesser charge” by Spencer Hsu for Washington Post

Florida: “Hialeah Mayor Tries to Pay County’s $4K Ethics Fine in Pennies” by Brenda Medina for Miami Herald

New York: “Backed by Single, Untraceable Out-of-State Donor, Reform Party Scores Win” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Ethics

“Annual Sexual-Harassment Training Required in Missouri House” by Associated Press for New York Times

Alabama: “Ethics Commission Letter Raises State Employee Concerns” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

Florida: “Marco Rubio Spent Lavishly on a GOP Credit Card, but Some Transactions Are Still Secret” by Alex Leary for Tampa Bay Times

Elections

“Off-Year Elections Reveal a 2016 Map with Sharper Borders” by David Weigel for Washington Post

Beginning November 1, the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council assumed responsibility for all lobbyist registrations and disclosures. Created in the spring by the passage of House Bill 2070, the Council is required to review all disclosure forms filed by lobbyists, as well as state officers, employees, and legislators.

Paper and electronic versions of lobbyist registration and reporting are available through the Council’s website, however, electronic reporting will become mandatory beginning with the December 15, 2016 report.

House Bill 2070 followed an unsuccessful attempt to create the Council in 2014. In the previous instance, a battle over the state budget between the General Assembly and the governor resulted in the Council not receiving funding.

Lobbying

“New Generation of Trade Group CEOs Take More Aggressive – and at Times Unorthodox – Approach to Lobbying” by Catherine Ho for Washington Post

California: “Tighter Rules for Lobbying Win S.F. Voter Approval” by Kevin Fagan for San Francisco Chronicle

Rhode Island: “38 Studios: House panel chairwoman wants investigation of deal maker Michael Corso” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

Campaign Finance

Florida: “Dade Medical College Owner Turns Himself In” by Michael Vasquez for Miami Herald

“Maine Backs Post-Citizens United Campaign Finance Initiative” by Paul Blumenthal for Huffington Post

South Dakota: “Council Nixes PAC Contribution Limit” by Joe Sneve for Sioux Falls Argus Leader

Washington: “‘Democracy Vouchers’ Win in Seattle; First in Country” by Bob Young for Seattle Times

Ethics

“Mayor de Blasio’s Hired Guns: Private consultants help shape City Hall” by Thomas Kaplan for New York Times

Elections

“Joseph Ganim, Disgraced Ex-Mayor of Bridgeport, Conn., Wins Back Job” by Kristin Hussey for New York Times

“Matt Bevin, Republican, Wins Governor’s Race in Kentucky” by Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Alan Blinder for New York Times

“Michigan Lawmakers Ousted Over Affair Lose Bid to Regain House Seats” by Associated Press for New York Times

Redistricting

Ohio: “Voters Approve Issue to Reform Ohio’s Redistricting Process” by Jim Siegel for Columbus Dispatch

Proposition C, a measure requiring registration fees and monthly reports from expenditure lobbyists, was approved by voters in San Francisco. The measure creates a new category of lobbyists, termed expenditure lobbyists, defined as organizations who employ lobbyists to influence city officials.

The measure imposes a registration threshold of $2,500 or more in a calendar month spent soliciting, requesting, or urging other persons to communicate directly with a city official. Expenditure lobbyists must pay a $500 fee to register with the city.

The measure takes effect February 1, 2016.

Lobbying

“Bush, Clinton Benefit from Lobbying Gray Area” by Isaac Arnsdorf for Politico

Campaign Finance

“Small Donors Are Clicking More with Democrats than Republicans” by Eric Lichtblau and Nick Corasaniti for New York Times

Ethics

New York: “Report: JCOPE should be smaller, more transparent” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

“How Andrew Cuomo’s Flashy Bid to Clean up Albany Backfired” by Chris Smith for New York Magazine

Elections

“Neuropolitics, Where Campaigns Try to Read Your Mind” by Kevin Randall for New York Times

“Steve Deace and the Power of Conservative Media” by Jackie Calmes for New York Times Magazine

“How the Rising Death Rate among Middle-Aged Whites Helps Explain Our Political Reality” by Janell Ross for Washington Post

California: “Measure Slashing Drug Prices May Go to California Voters Next Fall” by Tracy Seipel for San Jose Mercury News

Legislative Issues

“Paul Ryan Lands at Center of a Rivalry for the Soul of the G.O.P.” by Carl Hulse for New York Times

Campaign Finance

“Larry Lessig Ends Presidential Campaign, Citing Unfair Debate Rules” by David Weigel for Washington Post

Arizona: “Elections Panel Moves to Uncover Political ‘Dark Money’” by Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) for Arizona Daily Star

New Jersey: “Analysis: Outside money may flood 2017 election” by Dustin Racioppi for Bergen Record

New Mexico: “Flurry of Campaign Finance Cases after Duran Indictment Renews Call for Ethics Commission” by Justin Horwath for Santa Fe New Mexican

Oregon: “Activists Angle for Oregon Campaign Finance Measures” by Taylor Anderson for Bend Bulletin

Ethics

New York: “In Two Corruption Cases, the Culture of Albany Will Go on Trial” by William Rashbaum and Susanne Craig for New York Times

North Carolina: “McCrory Brokered Meeting on Contract for Friend and Campaign Donor” by Joseph Neff, Craig Jarvis, and Ames Alexander for Raleigh News & Observer

Elections

“How Donald Trump Leverages America’s Fault Lines” by Lynn Vavreck for New York Times

Redistricting

Maryland: “D.C. Law Student Takes Case against Md. Gerrymandering to Supreme Court” by Robert Barnes for Washington Post

Lobbying

“Top Lobbyists 2015: Hired Guns” by Staff  for The Hill

“Top Lobbyists 2015: Corporate” by Staff for The Hill

Campaign Finance

“F.E.C. Panel Delays a Decision on Spending in ’16 Races” by Eric Lichtblau for New York Times

New York: “Albany Plan Would Expand Conflict-of-Interest Policies” by Jesse McKinley for New York Times

Ethics

New Mexico: “Attorney General Says Public Corruption Law Needs Teeth” by Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal

Oregon: “John Kitzhaber Offered Fiancée Help Securing Foundation Support” by Les Zaitz for Portland Oregon

Wisconsin: “Senate Republicans Take Cautious Tack on GAB, Campaign Finance Bills” by Mark Sommorhauser for Madison.com

Elections

“Winning Isn’t Everything” by Jason Zengerle for Politico Magazine

Florida: “Miami Beach Candidate Sued after Publishing Opponent’s Social Security Number” by Joey Flechas for Miami Herald

The European Commission (EC) in Brussels has recently announced its intention to implement a US-style reform to force lawyers who lobby to register their clients.

The Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) has argued this new requirement is a violation of the confidentiality rules of the European Bar Association. The CCBE believes the reform would also violate national bar requirements of the European Union (EU) member states.

Brussels is considered the hub of European policymaking and home to EC headquarters. Lobbying efforts are directed towards the EC to influence legislation. Lobbyists who wish to meet with EC commissioners, cabinet members, and directors-general must register and disclose clients in the Transparency Register.

Federal:

Conservative PACs Turn Attack on G.O.P. Leaders into Fund-Raising Tool
New York Times – Eric Lipton and Jennifer Steinhauer | Published: 10/23/2015

Petitions to oust Republican leaders in Congress that started surfacing online over a year ago did not come from Democrats. They came from conservative websites and bloggers who have helped stoke a grassroots rebellion to make Congress more conservative, a continuation of the tea party movement. But these politically charged appeals to conservatives around the country were often accompanied by a solicitation for money, and the ultimate beneficiaries, records suggest, are the consultants who created the campaigns rather than the causes they are promoting.

Dennis Hastert, Ex-Speaker of House, Pleads Guilty
New York Times – Monica Davey and Mitch Smith | Published: 10/28/2015

Former U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert pleaded guilty to bank fraud charges connected to $1.7 million he paid to cover up what federal officials said was sexual misconduct dating back to his years as a high school teacher and coach. He pleaded guilty to one count of “structuring” – taking money out of the bank in amounts below $10,000 to evade reporting rules on large cash movements. When the FBI questioned Hastert on why he withdrew the money, he told agents he did not feel safe with the banking system. The plea allows Hastert to avoid an in-court airing of his past. Prosecutors are recommending up to a six-month prison sentence.

DNC Courts Lobbyist Cash with Promise of VIP Access at Convention
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 10/22/2015

Leaders from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) met with dozens of lobbyists to unveil plans for next year’s nominating convention in Philadelphia and kick off a bout of fundraising for the event. The national convention, still eight months away, will be an expensive party to throw, with early estimates putting the price tag at $85 million. Documents obtained by The Hill show the DNC handed out a menu of reward offerings in exchange for donations and bundled cash. Individuals are able to give a maximum of $100,200 to the DNC’s convention fund per year, but are encouraged to bundle together many times that figure.

FEC Overhauls Website to Make It Easier to Track Campaign Money
USA Today – Fredreka Schouten | Published: 10/27/2015

The FEC is set to unveil a $2.5 million overhaul of the agency’s website that will make it easier for average citizens to follow the money themselves. Among the many changes is that the new version can be viewed on any size screen, allowing users to view campaign finance data on their mobile phones and tablets. The commission’s disclosure database contains more than 14 billion data elements, and FEC Chairperson Ann Ravel said she finds the current site so hard to navigate that she usually just asks a staffer to find the information she wants. She said the new site will be more intuitive.

Investing in Lobbying Pays Off
New York World – Masako Melissa Hirsch | Published: 10/28/2015

Motif Investing created an investment option for its clients consisting of the 20 companies that spend a larger share of their assets on lobbying than other firms. The Kings of K Street stock portfolio has outperformed the Standards & Poor’s 500 by a factor of two for the past two years, according to Motif. In each of the past seven years, businesses, advocacy groups, and others spent more than $3 billion on lobbying the federal government. Billions more were spent at the state and local levels. Some research has pointed to the benefits of lobbying. Studies have found companies that lobby have lower tax rates, for example.

Paul Ryan Is Elected House Speaker, Hoping to Manage Chaos
New York Times – Jennifer Steinhauer | Published: 10/29/2015

Lawmakers elected U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan as the speaker of the House, putting an end to weeks of uncertainty over who would lead the raucous GOP conference after John Boehner’s surprise resignation. Ryan’s election gives House Republicans a chance to hit the reset button. Throughout Boehner’s nearly five years as speaker, centrist members and tea party conservatives were at war with each other over policy and tactics. The test for Ryan will be whether he can manage, perhaps even blunt, the hardline wing of the Republican conference, or if he too will fall to its members’ intransigence. He had warned members that while he would take their concerns about process seriously, he would not brook dissent that would undermine his ability to lead them.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – Former SF Police Union President Fined for Illegally Lobbying Last Year
San Francisco Examiner – Jonah Owen Lamb | Published: 10/27/2015

Gary Delagnes, formerly the San Francisco Police Association’s head and sometime spokesperson, was fined $5,500 for not registering as a lobbyist and failing to file disclosure reports required in connection with an effort to defeat a resolution on police brutality last December. At the time he was a paid political consultant for the union. City law defines a lobbyist as anyone who makes one or more contacts with elected officials on behalf of their employer. Delagnes says he never registered because he did not think his actions qualified as lobbying. He simply emailed several supervisors about the issue.

Kansas – Kansas Legislation Is Most Anonymous in Nation
Topeka Capital-Journal – Celia Llopis-Jepson | Published: 10/26/2015

More than 90 percent of bills in Kansas’ 2015 legislative session did not bear the names of lawmakers involved in writing or introducing them. Over several decades, the state’s lawmaking system has evolved into one in which legislators introduce hundreds of bills yearly —but only put their names on a small number for which they want to take credit. Public efforts to explore the origin of bills face obstacles: lawmakers file proposals for each other, written meeting minutes are not user friendly, and legislators themselves say some are engaging in a cat-and-mouse game to conceal involvement in controversial bills.

Louisiana – Louisiana Primary’s Ugly Race
Bloomberg.com – Ben Kamisar | Published: 10/29/2015

In a race that made a late but convincing case for the enduring entertainment value of Louisiana politics, U.S. Sen. David Vitter barely squeaked out a second-place finish in the primary election for governor to make a runoff against John Bel Edwards, a Democratic state representative. For months, Vitter was seen as the front-runner, but over the summer his lead steadily disintegrated.  Vitter’s opponents spent significant time and money rehashing Vitter’s 2007 prostitution scandal, including a claim by a local blogger that Vitter had fathered a child with a prostitute. A private investigator conducting opposition research for the Vitter campaign was arrested near New Orleans recently.

New Mexico – Dianna Duran Resigns, Pleads Guilty to Two Felonies
NewMexicoPolitics.net – Heath Haussamen | Published: 10/23/2015

New Mexico Secretary of State Dianna Duran, who was charged with multiple counts of public corruption, pleaded guilty to four misdemeanors and two low-level felonies in a plea deal that will likely spare her jail time and allow her to keep her pension. The agreement came just hours after she submitted her resignation. Duran was facing 65 criminal charges including embezzlement, money laundering, and fraud stemming from allegations she illegally transferred about $13,000 in campaign funds to her personal account. Prosecutors said Duran altered her campaign finance reports she filed with her own office to cover up the transfers that were part of an elaborate scheme to support a gambling habit.

New York – Albany’s Museum of Political Corruption No Longer Just a Funny Idea
Albany Business Review – Michael DeMasi | Published: 10/28/2015

Bruce Roter, a music professor at the College of St. Rose, wants to open a Museum of Political Corruption in Albany. The museum would be a place to explore, understand, and poke some fun at the fact New York’s past and present are filled with tales of politicians-gone-bad. New chapters in that long history are being written seemingly every day. The New York Board of Regents granted the museum a five-year provisional charter and it now has an eight-member board of trustees. “It’s funny, but it’s serious at the same time,” Roter said. “… If this can make the whole subject less complicated, if people feel empowered they can do something or have a say about the governance in our state, then I think they are doing a tremendous service to our community.”

New York – Oracle Sued by N.Y. Pension over Political-Giving Disclosure
Bloomberg.com – Freeman Klopott | Published: 10/28/2015

Oracle was sued by a New York pension fund over allegations the company is withholding information about its political donations. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has been using his position as the sole trustee of New York’s $184.5 billion pension fund to press corporations to make their donations public after the Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United allowed companies to make political gifts without limitations. The fund owns about 10 million shares of Oracle. DiNapoli said the company did not live up to a 2007 agreement with the Sheet Metal Workers’ National Pension Fund to provide an annual report disclosing policies for political contributions. The company also did not respond to specific requests from the fund for those records, according to the lawsuit.

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

“The Commission’s Corporate Job Pipeline” by James Panichi for Politico

“Top Lobbyists 2015: Associations” by Staff for The Hill

“Top Lobbyists 2015: Grassroots” by Staff for The Hill

California: “Former SF Police Union President Fined for Illegally Lobbying Last Year” by Jonah Owen Lamb for San Francisco Examiner

Rhode Island: “R.I. House Panel Opens Investigation into 38 Studios Loan” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

Campaign Finance

“Is There a Silver Lining to Citizens United?” by Thomas Edsall for New York Times

Florida: “Mystery Surrounds Largest Donor to Florida Solar Power Ballot Initiative” by Jeremy Wallace for Miami Herald

Ethics

“Dennis Hastert, Ex-Speaker of House, Pleads Guilty to Banking Violation” by Monica Davey and Mitch Smith for New York Times

New York: “Albany’s Museum of Political Corruption No Longer Just a Funny Idea” by Michael DeMasi for Albany Business Review

Redistricting

“In Swing-State Ohio, Both Parties Want to Limit Their Own Power in Redistricting” by Daniel Vock for Governing