June 11, 2015 •
Thursday News Roundup
Lobbying Rhode Island: “RI’s Biggest Spending Special Interest Groups at the Statehouse” by Stephen Beale for GoLocalProv.com Campaign Finance “The IRS Chief’s Mistake about ‘Dark Money’” by Miriam Galston for Washington Post Ethics Florida: “Ethics Panel: Carroll misreported income” by […]
Lobbying
Rhode Island: “RI’s Biggest Spending Special Interest Groups at the Statehouse” by Stephen Beale for GoLocalProv.com
Campaign Finance
“The IRS Chief’s Mistake about ‘Dark Money’” by Miriam Galston for Washington Post
Ethics
Florida: “Ethics Panel: Carroll misreported income” by Brandon Larrabee (News Service of Florida) for Tallahassee Democrat
Florida: “Ex-Congressman’s Top Aide to plead Guilty to Breaking Election Law” by Jay Weaver for Miami Herald
Hawaii: “Ethics Director Survives Political Challenge” by Ian Lind for Honolulu Civil Beat
Elections
“Eyeing 2016, G.O.P Embraces Digital Strategies, but Doubts Persist” by Ashley Parker for New York Times
“How Jeb Bush’s Campaign Ran off Course before It Even Began” by Ed O’Keefe and Robert Costa for Washington Post
Legislative Issues
“Sen. Johnny Isakson Discloses He Has Parkinson’s Disease” by Mike DeBonis for Washington Post
Maine: “Closed Door: Legislators conducting public business in private despite state’s open meeting law” by John Christie (Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting) for Pine Tree Watchdog
June 10, 2015 •
Wednesday Government Relations News
Lobbying “Did Obama’s Pick to Head Navy Break Lobbying Law?” by Austin Wright and Philip Ewing for Politico Louisiana: “What Good Do Lobbyist Reporting Laws Do without Enforcement” by the Editorial Board for New Orleans Times-Picayune Pennsylvania: “Bill to Ban […]
Lobbying
“Did Obama’s Pick to Head Navy Break Lobbying Law?” by Austin Wright and Philip Ewing for Politico
Louisiana: “What Good Do Lobbyist Reporting Laws Do without Enforcement” by the Editorial Board for New Orleans Times-Picayune
Pennsylvania: “Bill to Ban Contingent-Fee Lobbying Advances” by Staff for Chadds Ford Live
Campaign Finance
“How Democratic or Republican Is Your Job? This Tool Tells You.” by Philip Bump for Washington Post
“Shaun McCutcheon Blew Up Campaign-Finance Law and Became a GOP Hero. Then He Set His Sights on Paris Hilton.” by Luke Mullins for Washingtonian Magazine
Alaska: “Alaska Campaign Finance Watchdog Drops Charlo Greene Investigation” by Suzanna Caldwell for Alaska Dispatch News
California: “Ethics Panel Orders S.F. Supervisor to Pay $181,000 Fine” by John Wildermuth for San Francisco Chronicle
California: “Azano Says Finance Law Unconstitutional” by Kristina Davis for San Diego Union Tribune
Ethics
“Hastert Allegations Cast New Light on His Speakership” by Todd Purdum for Politico
“Dennis Hastert Pleads Not Guilty in Chicago Court” by Monica Davey for New York Times
New York: “Schneiderman’s Evolution on Ethics” by David King for Gotham Gazette
Elections
“Pollsters Fret Looming Robocall Restrictions” by Mario Trujillo for The Hill
June 9, 2015 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update
Lobbying California: “Businesses with Stake in California Politics Utilize Capitol Grounds” by Jeremy White for Sacramento Bee Campaign Finance “Two FEC Officials Implore Agency to Curb 2016 Election Abuse” by Fredreka Schouten for USA Today “Why So Many Women Are […]
Lobbying
California: “Businesses with Stake in California Politics Utilize Capitol Grounds” by Jeremy White for Sacramento Bee
Campaign Finance
“Two FEC Officials Implore Agency to Curb 2016 Election Abuse” by Fredreka Schouten for USA Today
“Why So Many Women Are Raising Money for Hillary Clinton” by Matea Gold for Washington Post
Delaware: “Bill Would Increase Campaign Donation Limits” by Jonathan Starkey for Wilmington News Journal
Massachusetts: “Baker, State GOP’s Use of Federal Funds Questioned” by Frank Phillips for Boston Globe
New York: “Carl Heastie’s Campaign Spending Blurs Line between Political and Personal” by Russ Buettner for New York Times
Ethics
“Dennis Hastert Rushed to Make Money as Payouts Grew” by Eric Lipton for New York Times
New Jersey: “Ex-Official Says Chris Christie Broke Grand Jury Law” by Kate Zernike for New York Times
Pennsylvania: “Fourth Defendant in Sting Case Pleads Guilty” by Angela Couloumbis and Craig McCoy for Philadelphia Inquirer
Legislative Issues
“Divided Legislatures Produce Gridlock, Not Compromise” by Alan Greenblatt for Governing
Indiana: “House Lawmakers Move to Shield Communications from Public” by The Associated Press for Indianapolis Business Journal
June 8, 2015 •
Jurisdictions Added to Our Website
The number of municipalities and regional governments our research associates track continues to grow. We now cover almost 300 municipalities and local governments. This is part of a continuous effort to better serve the needs of our clients. In that […]
The number of municipalities and regional governments our research associates track continues to grow. We now cover almost 300 municipalities and local governments. This is part of a continuous effort to better serve the needs of our clients.
In that effort, we have recently added abridged jurisdictions to our website. These entries, condensed due to the limited number of relevant local laws, provide the core information our clients need for their government relations work.
The new jurisdictions are:
Fairbanks, Alaska
Roanoke, Virginia
San Luis Obispo County, California
June 8, 2015 •
Monday News Roundup
Lobbying “Senator Would Limit Lobbyist Money That Fueled Liberal Allies” by Carrie Levine and Michael Beckel for Center for Public Integrity Illinois: “Rauner Tells Agency Heads to Give Lobbyists the Boot” by Rich Miller for Reboot Illinois Campaign Finance “Kevin […]
Lobbying
“Senator Would Limit Lobbyist Money That Fueled Liberal Allies” by Carrie Levine and Michael Beckel for Center for Public Integrity
Illinois: “Rauner Tells Agency Heads to Give Lobbyists the Boot” by Rich Miller for Reboot Illinois
Campaign Finance
“Kevin McCarthy’s Flair for Fundraising Fuels His Swift Rise to Power in House” by Noah Bierman and Evan Halper for Los Angeles Times
Arizona: “Secretary of State to Fight Clean Elections over Fine” by Bob Christie (Associated Press) for Arizona Daily Star
California: “Ex-L.A. Council Candidate Fined for Fraudulent Bid for Matching Funds” by Jean Merl for Los Angeles Times
Ethics
California: “Industry Sues Former Mayor, Alleging ‘Extensive Public Corruption’” by Frank Shyong for Los Angeles Times
New York: “A Political Survivor under Investigation” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union
Oregon: “Ethics Reform: House OKs bill declaring governor’s partner a public official” by Denis Theriault for Portland Oregonian
Texas: “Abbott Wants Lawmakers Willing to ‘Fight for Ethics’” by Dave Montgomery for Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Virginia: “Lawmakers Need a Raise, Governor’s Ethics Panel Says” by Alan Suderman (Associated Press) for Washington Times
Elections
“O’Malley Attacks Big Banks, Political Dynasties in Launching Uphill 2016 Bid” by John Wagner for Washington Post
“Rick Perry, Shrugging Off 2012, Announces He Will Run Again for President” by Manny Fernandez for New York Times
“Lincoln Chafee to Run for President” by David Jackson for USA Today
June 5, 2015 •
The Lobbying and Campaign Finance Reform Act Introduced in U.S. Senate
On June 2, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennett introduced Senate Bill 1480, The Lobbying and Campaign Finance Reform Act. According to Bennett’s press release, SB 1480 prohibits solicitations of campaign contributions from lobbyists when Congress is in session, eliminates lobbyist bundling […]
On June 2, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennett introduced Senate Bill 1480, The Lobbying and Campaign Finance Reform Act.
According to Bennett’s press release, SB 1480 prohibits solicitations of campaign contributions from lobbyists when Congress is in session, eliminates lobbyist bundling of large contributions, and amends the lobbying registration process to require a lobbyist to register if he or she makes two or more lobbying contacts for a client over a two-year period regardless of whether the lobbyist spends more than 20 percent of his or her time serving the particular client.
June 5, 2015 •
News You Can Use Digest – June 5, 2015
National: Poll Shows Americans Favor an Overhaul of Campaign Financing New York Times – Nicholas Confessore and Megan Thee-Brenan | Published: 6/2/2015 A new poll showed both Democrats and Republicans favor an overhaul of campaign finance laws, including limiting the amount […]
National:
Poll Shows Americans Favor an Overhaul of Campaign Financing
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore and Megan Thee-Brenan | Published: 6/2/2015
A new poll showed both Democrats and Republicans favor an overhaul of campaign finance laws, including limiting the amount of money that can be spent by super PACs and forcing more public disclosure on organizations now permitted to intervene in elections without disclosing the names of their donors. A majority also reject the argument that political money is a form of speech protected by the First Amendment. More than four in five Americans say money plays too great a role in campaigns, while two-thirds say the wealthy have more of a chance to influence the elections process than the average citizen.
The Murky (and Apparently Widespread) Use of License Plates as Political Favors
Washington Post – Amber Phillips | Published: 6/2/2015
In several states, low-number license plates – the less numerals, the better – are a way to show off someone’s political connections. That is because you cannot just walk into a Departments of Motor Vehicles and request one; you have to know someone to give you the plate. Then-New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu credits his distribution of the desirable license plates with helping George H.W. Bush win the state in a competitive 1988 Republican primary.
Federal:
Dennis Hastert’s Lobbying Firm Reeling after Indictment
Politico – Tarini Parti and Anna Palmer | Published: 6/4/2015
Former U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert resigned his job as co-leader of Dickstein Shapiro’s public policy and political law practice in the wake of his indictment for lying to federal investigators about structured cash withdrawals to an individual “in order to compensate for and conceal his prior misconduct.” Dickstein Shapiro is already scrambling to rebuild amid a client exodus, tumbling lobbying revenue, and high-profile departures. Some expressed doubts about the firm’s ability to right the ship. “It is going to make clients scratch their heads how does this kind of stuff, particularly at a law firm, go unnoticed and unchecked,” said a managing partner at a Washington law firm. “They’ve already lost a significant number of partners, and now they have a failing management structure allowing allegedly criminal activity under its nose ….”
Payments by Hastert Linked to Report of Sexual Abuse
New York Times – Michael Shear and Michael Schmidt | Published: 5/28/2015
Former U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert was paying a man to not say publicly that Hastert had sexually abused him, according to sources briefed on the evidence uncovered in an FBI investigation into the payments. Federal prosecutors indicted Hastert on allegations he made cash withdrawals designed to hide those payments and for lying to federal authorities about the purpose of the withdrawals. The man, who was not identified in court papers, told the FBI he had been molested by Hastert when Hastert was a high school teacher and wrestling coach.
From the States and Municipalities:
Alaska – Juneau APOC Office Skeletal after Cuts
Peninsula Chronicle – Katie Moritz (Morris News Service) | Published: 6/1/2015
The Juneau office of the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC), which is responsible for holding the state’s approximately 135 lobbyists financially accountable, took a crippling budget hit from lawmakers when it was dealt a cut that eliminated both existing full-time positions. When the new fiscal year begins, the current part-time assistant will become the one full-time employee in the office. Leslie Ridle, deputy commissioner of the Department of Administration, said she does not think one staff member in Juneau and seven staff statewide is enough to handle APOC’s workload or uphold its mission.
California – Law Students Propose Bill to Close Lucrative Capitol Lobbying Loophole
Los Angeles Times – Melanie Mason | Published: 6/2/2015
Three law students have sponsored a bill that would designate as lobbying the act of communicating with government officials in hopes of influencing how they spend taxpayers’ money on goods and services, and require lobbyists to publicly disclose that activity. Assembly Bill 1200 would cast sunlight into an opaque and lucrative corner of lobbying. The students did research, drafted bill language, and shopped for a legislator to carry their proposal.California Assemblyperson Richard Gordon became its official author. “When the students came to me and said, ‘do you realize there is this loophole that allows folks to lobby relative to contracting?’ I said you’ve got to be kidding me,” Gordon said.
Colorado – High-Powered Attorneys, Lobbyists Give Big to Denver Candidates
Denver Post – Jon Murray | Published: 5/31/2015
A Denver Post analysis of $4.1 million given to candidates in the run-up to Denver’s municipal elections found at least $290,000 came from attorneys and lobbyists. Another $159,000 was donated by individuals involved in development or real estate. That industry is booming in Denver but has been at the center of one of the election’s biggest issues – the pace of development. Unions, city contractors, and business associations also contributed heavily to candidates. Watchdogs say such hefty direct donations from big interests point to a need for tighter contribution limits in Denver, or some kind of public financing that might amplify the impact of contributions from small donors.
Connecticut – Senate Democrats Reject Campaign Finance Overhaul
Hartford Courant – Jenny Wilson | Published: 6/2/2015
The Connecticut Senate rejected a House-approved bill that would have imposed limits on how much state parties can spend to support a publicly funded campaign. The legislation also would have reduced the maximum contribution that individuals could give to state parties to $5,000. The measure was a direct response to the state Democratic Party spending over $1 million last year to support the campaigns of Sen. Ted Kennedy, Jr. and Gov. Dannel Malloy, who were both participating in the Citizen’s Election Program.
Hawaii – Antiquated Law Spares Lobbyists in Honolulu Ethics Scandal
Honolulu Civil Beat – Nick Grube | Published: 6/1/2015
Nestor Garcia, a former Honolulu City Council member, agreed to pay an $8,100 fine after the Ethics Commission found evidence he illegally accepted free meals and golf from lobbyists. The commission said Garcia failed to disclose a conflict-of-interest on a number of bills and resolutions that affected the lobbyists’ interests. But amid the growing scandal, lobbyists have come out relatively unscathed. There has been little scrutiny of their actions, and it is doubtful there will be any punitive action taken against them. Honolulu Ethics Commission Executive Director Chuck Totto would like to update the ethics code on lobbyist gift-giving, but does not have the staff to the handle that extra workload.
New York – How Lobbying in Albany Works
New Yorker – Chris Smith | Published: 5/28/2015
With the recent indictments of the leaders of the New York Assembly and Senate, lobbyists could have even more influence in shaping public policy. But lobbyists usually try to stay under the radar, so their day-to-day activities are often unclear. In an interview, a prominent lobbyist in Albany gave an inside view of his profession.
Pennsylvania – City Council Gives Initial Thumbs Up to New Rules on Independent PACs
KYW – Mike Dunn | Published: 5/29/2015
A Philadelphia City Council committee approved a bill authored by the city’s Board of Ethics that would impose new reporting requirements on independent PACs and non-profits that spend money in support of a candidate. The legislation would affect any person, political committee, or non-profit that spends more than $5,000 within 50 days of an election. They would face four reporting deadlines within the 50 day pre-election period, and they would have to list all funding received and expenditures made, not just the spending that triggered the filing.
Pennsylvania – Two More Dems Plead Guilty in Sting Case
Philadelphia Inquirer – Angela Couloumbis and Craig McCoy | Published: 6/1/2015
A state lawmaker and an ex-representative, both Philadelphia Democrats, pleaded guilty to criminal charges stemming from a bribery scandal. Rep. Ron Waters pleaded guilty to nine conflict-of-interest counts. He resigned his seat and will serve 23 months on probation. Former Rep. Harold James pleaded guilty to a single count of conflict-of-interest and received 12 months of probation. The cases were built on secret recordings by an informant posing as a lobbyist, who offered cash or gifts in exchange for promises of official favors. The investigation had been a secret until it was reported that Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane had decided against pursuing it. Kane inherited the case from her predecessors and she attacked it as too fatally flawed to win convictions.
Texas – Overhaul of Scandal-Torn State-Contracting System Wins Final Approval
Fort Worth Star-Telegram – Dave Montgomery | Published: 6/1/2015
Texas lawmakers approved a bill aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in state contracts. The legislation prohibits conflicts-of-interest between agency heads and vendors, strengthens top-level supervision in the awarding of contracts, and increases scrutiny of vendor performance in carrying out the contracts. Agencies would also be required to post on their websites any noncompetitively bid contract along with the statutory justification for why it was awarded. The bill would require an agency board to approve any contract over $1 million.
Vermont – Condos Pitches Ethics Commission in Wake of Impropriety Allegations
VTDigger.org – Anne Galloway | Published: 6/3/2015
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos is calling for the establishment of a state ethics commission. The Center for Public Integrity in 2012 gave Vermont an overall grade of “D+” for its ethics laws. It was “in large part because we do not have an authoritative ethics commission or the required financial disclosures existing in nearly every other state,” Condos wrote in his proposal. He said his office has no authority to investigate or enforce against such problems, and the people complaining often ended up feeling frustrated and increasingly cynical.
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.
June 4, 2015 •
Thursday News Roundup
Lobbying California: “California Senate OKs Scaled-Down Travel Disclosure Bill” by Judy Lin (Associated Press) for Santa Cruz Sentinel California: “Law Students Propose Bill to Close Lucrative Capitol Lobbying Loophole” by Melanie Mason for Los Angeles Times Hawaii: “Antiquated Law Spares […]
Lobbying
California: “California Senate OKs Scaled-Down Travel Disclosure Bill” by Judy Lin (Associated Press) for Santa Cruz Sentinel
California: “Law Students Propose Bill to Close Lucrative Capitol Lobbying Loophole” by Melanie Mason for Los Angeles Times
Hawaii: “Antiquated Law Spares Lobbyists in Honolulu Ethics Scandal” by Nick Grube for Honolulu Civil Beat
New Jersey: “ELEC Report Reveals Healthcare Most Heavily Lobbied Sector in New Jersey” by Andrew Kitchenman for NJ Spotlight
New York: “How Lobbying in Albany Works” by Chris Smith for New Yorker
Campaign Finance
Colorado: “High-Powered Attorneys, Lobbyists Give Big to Denver Candidates” by Jon Murray for Denver Post
Connecticut: “Senate Democrats Reject Campaign Finance Overhaul” by Jenny Wilson for Hartford Courant
Ethics
Alaska: “Juneau APOC Office Skeletal after Cuts” by Katie Moritz (Morris News Service) for Peninsula Chronicle
Oregon: “House Unanimously Passes Kate Brown’s Plan to Remake Oregon Ethics Panel” by Denis Theriault for Portland Oregonian
South Carolina: “Former State Senator Robert Ford Gets No Jail Times” by John Monk for The State
Texas: “Abbott Gets Bill Limiting Ethics Disclosures” by Jay Root for Texas Tribune
Vermont: “Condos Pitches Ethics Commission in Wake of Impropriety Allegations” by Anne Galloway for VTDigger.org
Procurement
Texas: “Overhaul of Scandal-Torn State-Contracting System Wins Final Approval” by Dave Montgomery for Fort Worth Star-Telegram
June 3, 2015 •
Ask the Experts – Canadian Lobbying Law
Q. The Canadian branch of our company would like to set up some meetings with the federal government. Does Canada have lobbying laws too? A. Canada does have lobbying laws at the federal, provincial, and even municipal levels of government. […]
Q. The Canadian branch of our company would like to set up some meetings with the federal government. Does Canada have lobbying laws too?
A. Canada does have lobbying laws at the federal, provincial, and even municipal levels of government.
For the federal government, in-house lobbyists must register when the collective time devoted to lobbying activities by all of its employees reaches or exceeds 20 percent of the duties of a single equivalent-paid employee of the corporation or organization during a calendar month. Lobbying is communicating with public officeholders on behalf of another person or entity.
If the above threshold is reached, the senior most paid person of the company is required to file a registration and become the registrant. This registration will contain a list of all the names of the employees whose job duties include lobbying in some fashion.
Once registered, the registrant is required to file monthly returns. A return is the Canadian form of a report. The returns are due on the 15th day of the month. On this return, the registrant simply reports any communications that were had with public officeholders and the date and content of those meetings. The monthly return does not need to be filed if: (1) no communications with public officeholders took place that month; (2) no information on the registration needs to be amended; and (3) the undertaking has not been performed or terminated.
It isn’t just lobbying the federal government that you have to worry about, either. Almost all of the provinces have a separate lobbying law, and the major cities throughout the country are starting to pass lobbying laws as well. If you have specific questions related to your company’s activities in Canada, we will be more than happy to help you.
You can directly submit questions for this feature, and we will select those most appropriate and answer them here. Send your questions to: marketing@stateandfed.com.
(We are always available to answer questions from clients that are specific to your needs, and we encourage you to continue to call or e-mail us with questions about your particular company or organization. As always, we will confidentially and directly provide answers or information you need.) Our replies to your questions are not legal advice. Instead, these replies represent our analysis of laws, rules, and regulations.
June 3, 2015 •
Canada’s Lobbying Commissioner Releases New Code of Conduct
Lobbying Commissioner Karen Shepherd has released the new Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct, providing additional regulation of those attempting to influence federal decision making. Among other provisions, the new code creates a “sense of obligation” test, prohibiting a lobbyist from lobbying […]
Lobbying Commissioner Karen Shepherd has released the new Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct, providing additional regulation of those attempting to influence federal decision making.
Among other provisions, the new code creates a “sense of obligation” test, prohibiting a lobbyist from lobbying an official where they share a relationship close enough to create a sense of obligation. Additionally, the new code prohibits a lobbyist from providing gifts to a government official, regardless of whether or not the official is being lobbied.
The code’s effective date has yet to be determined; however, it is expected to take effect sometime after the summer.
June 2, 2015 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update
Lobbying “Bottom Line” in The Hill. “Feds have few tools to track foreign lobbying” by Julian Hattem in The Hill. “Squire Patton Boggs turns 1” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill. “Hastert’s Lobbying Firm Rocked by His Indictment” by […]
Lobbying
“Bottom Line” in The Hill.
“Feds have few tools to track foreign lobbying” by Julian Hattem in The Hill.
“Squire Patton Boggs turns 1” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.
“Hastert’s Lobbying Firm Rocked by His Indictment” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.
Kansas: “Kansas Lawmakers Approve Changes In Election, Lobbying Laws” by The Associated Press on KMUW Witchita Public Radio.
Campaign Finance
“Poll Shows Americans Favor Overhaul of Campaign Financing” by Nicholas Confessore and Megan Thee-Brenan in The New York Times.
“Why States’ Campaign Donation Limits Could Be in Jeopardy” by Alan Greenblatt in Governing.
Ethics
“Hastert to appear before judge who donated to campaign” by Michael Tarm and Sara Burnett (Associated Press) in the San Francisco Chronicle.
“Dennis Hastert’s abrupt fall from college prestige” by Tarini Parti in Politico.
Pennsylvania: “2 Philadelphia Democrats Plead Guilty in Sting Case” by Angela Couloumbis and Craig R. McCoy in Governing.
Redistricting
Texas: “U.S. Supreme Court Takes On Texas Redistricting Case” by Patrick Svitek in Governing.
Government Tech
“Should Governments Trademark Twitter Hashtags?” by Brian Heaton in GovTech.
June 1, 2015 •
Monday News Roundup
Lobbying “JCOPE’s New Guidance, or: You might be a lobbyist if …” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union Campaign Finance Connecticut: “House Passes Significant Campaign Reforms; Will the Senate Take Up the Bill?” by Christine Stuart for CTNewsJunkie.com Louisiana: […]
Lobbying
“JCOPE’s New Guidance, or: You might be a lobbyist if …” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union
Campaign Finance
Connecticut: “House Passes Significant Campaign Reforms; Will the Senate Take Up the Bill?” by Christine Stuart for CTNewsJunkie.com
Louisiana: “Report Urges Louisiana to Ban ‘Troublesome’ Utility Campaign Contributions” by Jennifer Larino for New Orleans Times-Picayune
Minnesota: “After Criticism, Sen. Alberta Darling Cancels Fundraiser” by Scott Bauer (Associated Press) for Minneapolis Star Tribune
Pennsylvania: “City Council Gives Initial Thumbs Up To New Rules on Independent PACs” by Mike Dunn for KYW
Ethics
“Should We Pay Politicians More?” by Kevin Hartnett for Politico
“Clinton Foundation Paid Blumenthal $10K per Month While He Advised on Libya” by Kenneth Vogel for Politico
“How Dennis Hastert Made His Millions” by Tarini Parti for Politico
“Payments by Hastert Linked to Report of Sexual Abuse” by Michael Shear and Michael Schmidt for New York Times
Hawaii: “Under Fire: Hawaii ethics director defends his strict ethical views” by Ian Lind for Honolulu Civil Beat
New York: “Schneiderman Vows ‘Reform for All New Yorkers’ With Anti-Corruption Bill” by Will Bredderman for New York Observer
Oregon: “High-Ranking State Official Leaked Thousands of John Kitzhaber’s Personal Emails” by Laura Gunderson and Jeff Manning for Portland Oregonian
New York: “Grand Jury Indicts Dean Skelos, Ex-New York Senate Leader, and Son in Corruption Case” by William Rashbaum for New York Times
Elections
“George Pataki Announces Presidential Campaign” by David Fahrenthold for Washington Post
Legislative Issues
Arkansas: “Arkansas Primary Change Would Be Temporary under Compromise” by Andrew DeMillo and Claudia Lauer (Associated Press) for Washington Times
May 29, 2015 •
News You Can Use Digest – May 29, 2015
National: Meet the ‘Dark Money’ Phantom Center for Public Integrity – Carrie Levine | Published: 5/26/2015 David Langdon is a behind-the-scenes player among the small army of lawyers working to keep secret the origins of millions of dollars flowing to candidates. […]
National:
Meet the ‘Dark Money’ Phantom
Center for Public Integrity – Carrie Levine | Published: 5/26/2015
David Langdon is a behind-the-scenes player among the small army of lawyers working to keep secret the origins of millions of dollars flowing to candidates. Langdon is also a legal soldier for conservative, often Christian, nonprofit organizations that together spend millions more to influence public policy and wield great influence among evangelical voters. Since the 2010 election cycle, at least 11 groups connected to Langdon or his firm have collectively spent at least $22 million on federal and state elections and ballot initiatives around the country.
Should We Pay Politicians More?
Politico – Kevin Hartnett | Published: 5/27/2015
The prime minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, makes $1.7 million a year, more than four times as much as the next highest paid national executive – Barack Obama, who earns $400,000 a year. In Singapore, the salaries are seen as an anti-corruption measure. In the U.S., the idea of paying elected officials like corporate chief executives is politically unthinkable. But Renee Bowen, an economist at Stanford, and Cecilia Mo, a political scientist at Vanderbilt, used a game-theory model to argue that when elected representatives are paid more, they are more invested in keeping their jobs, and more likely to pursue citizen-friendly policies.
Federal:
FEC Deadlocks on Wealthy Donor Giving Limits
Washington Times – Tom Howell, Jr. | Published: 5/21/2015
The FEC deadlocked on a proposal to write new rules in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s McCutcheon decision last year that struck down aggregate campaign finance limits, freeing wealthy Americans to contribute money to as many candidates and political parties as they want. Democrats on the FEC signaled they had been chastened by another effort last year to impose campaign finance rules on Internet videos, after 5,000 comments poured in to commissioners telling them to lay off Internet speech as they considered post-McCutcheon rules.
K Street’s Gains Felt at Boutique Firms, Too
The Hill – Megan Wilson | Published: 5/27/2015
The surge in business on K Street during the first months of 2015 was not limited to Washington’s biggest lobby shops as many smaller lobby and law firms also saw gains. Smaller firms have long decried the standard practice of evaluating Washington’s top shops by earnings alone, arguing it puts them at a disadvantage by appearing to not keep up with their much larger counterparts. When looking at the figures posted by K Street for the first three months of the year, analysts instead ranked industry players on year-over-year increases in total and average per-client revenue, fees per lobbyist, and client retention rates.
Supreme Court to Weigh Meaning of ‘One Person One Vote’
New York Times – Adam Liptak | Published: 5/26/2015
The U.S. Supreme Court said it will decide an important “one person, one vote” case next term to determine whether states should consider total population – or only eligible voters – when drawing roughly equal legislative districts. A shift from using total population would have an enormous impact in states with large immigrant populations, where greater numbers are children or noncitizens. It would shift power from urban areas to more rural districts. The Supreme Court in 1964 ruled states must divide electoral districts population-wise so that political power is equally shared. But it did not specify whether total population or eligible voters was the standard to use.
From the States and Municipalities:
Arizona – Phone Records Show Close Contact between Regulator, APS and ‘Dark Money’
Arizona Republic – Ryan Randazzo | Published: 5/21/2015
Debates over solar energy, and a flood of money from non-profit groups into the campaigns for those who sought to regulate utilities, marked the 2014 Arizona Corporation Commission election. During that time, commission Chairperson Bob Stump sent more than 50 private text messages to an Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) executive and 46 to a political “dark money” organizer, according to a non-profit investigating the commission. Critics say regulators should not have such close contact with the utilities they oversee, and the utilities should not be participating in political campaigns, which could violate election laws and rules that prevent elected officials from campaigning with public resources. APS is widely believed to have contributed to groups that supported two Republicans in the Corporation Commission race, but utility officials will neither confirm nor deny such contributions.
Hawaii – Under Fire: Hawaii ethics director defends his strict ethical views
Honolulu Civil Beat – Ian Lind | Published: 5/27/2015
The Hawaii Ethics Commission is evaluating its executive director, Les Kondo, following complaints that he was going too far with ethics rules. House Speaker Joseph Souki sent a letter to the commission complaining about its “recent attempts to prohibit common and regular practices,” including receiving gifts, meals, and charitable fundraiser tickets of a certain value. Teachers also have been upset about a recommendation that educators who organize and chaperone educational trips should not get a free ride from tour companies. “It’s not my job to tell people what they want to hear or let them do what they want to do; it’s my job to do what’s right, not what’s popular,” Kondo told his colleagues.
Missouri – Lawmakers Fail to Ramp up Ethics Laws for Missouri Officials
Columbia Missourian – Summer Ballentine (Associated Press) | Published: 5/24/2015
Despite months of discussions and assurances from legislative leaders who said this year would be different, ethics reform fell apart in the last few weeks of the session. That means Missouri for at least another year will remain the only state with the trio of unlimited campaign contributions, uncapped lobbyist gifts, and no laws preventing legislators from leaving office and immediately becoming lobbyists. Lawmakers’ failure to pass ethics bills comes as the Capitol is under increased scrutiny after the House ended the legislative session in scandal. Former House Speaker John Diehl admitted to exchanging sexually suggestive text messages with a 19-year-old Capitol intern and resigned the last day of the session.
Montana – Court Reverses Ruling on Montana Campaign Contribution Limits
The Missoulian – Matt Volz (Associated Press) | Published: 5/26/2015
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals invoked the Supreme Court’s Citizen United decision to raise the bar for states to justify limiting campaign donations. States can limit contributions if they have a legitimate interest in doing so. But proving that interest has changed since the Citizens United decision that said corporations can spend unlimited amounts in elections, said the three-judge panel. Before Citizens United, states only had to show they aimed to curb the influence of big money on politicians. After Citizens United, states must show more specifically that their laws are stopping an exchange of money for political favors, according to the opinion. The ruling by the Ninth Circuit was made in a case that challenged Montana’s contribution limits as violating donors’ rights to free speech.
New York – JCOPE’s New Guidance, or: You might be a lobbyist if …
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 5/27/2015
Proposed rules issued by the Joint Commission on Public Ethics said political consultants who take certain actions related to lobbying efforts must register, even if they do not directly ask lawmakers or agencies to act on bills or regulations. That could force firms that currently enjoy close relationships with New York lawmakers, and which simultaneously have clients with interests before those legislators, to start disclosing more interactions with them. Another provision directs firms who control the message and content of grassroots lobbying campaigns to register as lobbyists.
Oregon – Forget Fines – Oregon Prefers Warnings for Public Officials Guilty of Ethics Violations
Portland Oregonian – Nick Budnick and Laura Gunderson | Published: 5/26/2015
The Portland Oregonian found the state ethics commission has deliberately lightened up on those accused of abusing their public positions. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission has negotiated reduced penalties for every case it has handled involving a public official since 2008. “The commission is not one where we stand there looking to punish someone,” said Chairperson Kenny Montoya. Ron Bersin, the agency’s executive director, said the commission relies on education and training to keep public officials honest, but the panel hammers errant public officials when it is justified.
Tennessee – Ethics Panel Fading to Obscurity 10 Years after Tenn. Waltz
Albany Times Union – Erik Schelzig (Associated Press) | Published: 5/25/2015
May 26 marked the 10th anniversary of the arrest of five former lawmakers in the FBI’s sting operation called “Tennessee Waltz.” The case involved a scheme by state lawmakers to collect money in exchange for shepherding through bills on behalf of E-Cycle Management, which was an FBI front company. Following the scandal, lawmakers were spurred into trying to improve transparency and ethics in the statehouse. A decade later, most of those efforts have faded.
Texas – House Passes Ethics Bill, Senate Showdown Likely
Texas Tribune – Jay Root | Published: 5/26/2015
The Texas House approved an ethics bill that would force disclosure of “dark money” in campaigns. The legislation would also lower the amount lobbyists can spend to entertain state officials without disclosing the names of the politicians. But the House turned down an amendment to close a loophole that allows lobbyists to easily evade that disclosure by teaming up with other lobbyists to spend far more than the current $114, lowered to $50 in the House bill. The measure faces a showdown with the Senate over the details of their competing versions.
Vermont – Legislative Wrap: Lobbyist disclosure tops transparency effort
VTDigger.org – Erin Mansfield | Published: 5/22/2015
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin is expected to sign Senate Bill 93, which increases the number of times per year that lobbyists and their employers must file expenditure reports from three to seven. Lobbyists are already required to register with the secretary of state’s office, but they only need to report spending once during the legislative session – April 25, when the session is almost over. The new law would require monthly reporting while lawmakers are in Montpelier. The bill also requires lobbying groups to disclose the name of the organization in ads and file a report within 48 hours of running an advertising campaign worth $1,000 or more.
Virginia – Conservative Group Paying Ken Cuccinelli’s Campaign
Washington Post – Rachel Weiner | Published: 5/26/2015
Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli won a legal victory against a conservative PAC he accused of duping campaign donors. Cuccinelli and the Conservative StrikeForce PAC reached a settlement that will prohibit the PAC from using a candidate’s name for future fundraising efforts against the candidate’s wishes. The PAC also agreed to pay Cuccinelli’s failed gubernatorial campaign $85,000 and give it exclusive rights to the PAC’s direct mail and email donor lists. Cuccinelli said the PAC used his name without his permission to mislead “thousands of innocent Americans” who thought they were helping his campaign.
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.
May 28, 2015 •
Miami-Dade County to Launch Online Lobbyist Registration System
The Miami-Dade Clerk of the Courts has announced a new online lobbyist registration system will launch on June 1, 2015. Current lobbyist information will be transferred to the new system and lobbyists will receive temporary log in information via email […]
The Miami-Dade Clerk of the Courts has announced a new online lobbyist registration system will launch on June 1, 2015.
Current lobbyist information will be transferred to the new system and lobbyists will receive temporary log in information via email in order to create a profile.
This release only affects registration; however, plans to incorporate expenditure reporting are forthcoming.
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