Federal:

Assets Offshore Raise Romney Wealth Questions

Do Election Laws Encourage Attack Ads in Campaigns?

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona

Ex-Arizona Lawmaker Files $10 Million Claim against Phoenix

Colorado

Gessler Hit with Another Campaign Finance Lawsuit – But This One He May Actually Like

Delaware

Delaware Business to Pay $500,000 in Campaign Probe

Florida

New Ethics Policy Toughens Rules for Lobbying Orange School Leaders

Illinois

Wrigley Renovation Plans Stalled by Political Flap

Maryland

Sports Tickets Banned as Gifts for Baltimore County Elected Officials

Michigan

Cap on Michigan Campaign Donations Survives Challenge

Missouri

Missouri Election Season Arrives without Ethics Law

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Ethics Commission Considers Blackout Period for Filing Complaints

South Carolina

South Carolina Governor Cleared in Ethics Inquiry

Tennessee

Tim Burchett Subpoenas News Sentinel for Visitor Records, Surveillance Videos

Utah

Ruling Blocks Utah Ethics Initiative from Ballot

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.

“Jack Abramoff: Healthy ruling for lobbyists” by MJ Lee in Politico.

“Maryland lobbying totals led by gambling interests” by Annie Linskey in the Baltimore Sun.

“Groups Admit to Lobbying Illegally to Aid Mayor’s Plans” by Ray Rivera in The New York Times.

Take a look at The Hill’s “Lobbying World” news summary.

“Common Cause files complaint against Minnesota Majority” by Jennifer Brooks in the Star Tribune.

Video courtesy of Politico.

Campaign Finance

“Political Perceptions: Email Fundraising, Too Forward?” by Peter Nicholas in The Wall Street Journal.

“The 2012 Congressional race and super PAC intermingling” by Stephen Wright in the Examiner.

Maryland: Editorial “Cleaning up Maryland politics” in The Washington Post.

Michigan:  “Michigan Campaign Finance Network questions fundraising by lame-duck lawmakers” by The Associated Press in Crain’s Detroit Business.

Lobbying

“Bill Miller to head lobbying for Business Roundtable” by Mike Allen in Politico.

“Mining bill drew lobbyists’ attention” by Steve Mistler in the Portland Press Herald.

“Investment in lobbying not surefire in Maine” by Steve Mistler in the Kennebec Journal.

“Who is ALEC?” on CBS News.

“Former IRS Official Demands Investigation of ALEC” by Janie Lorber in Roll Call.

“Ethics Inquiry Exonerates Governor In Lobbying” by Robbie Brown in The New York Times.

Rhode Island: “Former Lawmakers Cash in Playing Revolving Door Game” by Dan McGowan in GoLocalProv.com.

Federal:

After Winning Right to Spend, Political Groups Fight for Secrecy

Court Upholds Ban on Corporate Political Contributions

GOP Lawsuit Challenges Campaign Contribution Caps

From the States and Municipalities:

California: Cudahy Arrests Add Salt to L.A. County Area’s Civic Wounds

Connecticut: Malloy, Legislature Make Last Stab at Campaign Reform

Florida: Tom Lee Wants Back in the Senate, to the Chagrin of Some Lobbyists

Illinois: U of I Professor Relents, Will Take Ethics Training Developed by ‘Unwise Rulers to Annoy Us’

Montana: Supreme Court Reaffirms Citizens United, Tosses Montana Corporate Spending Ban

Nebraska: Special Interests Spent $14 Million to Influence State Government

New York: Supreme Court Declines to Hear NY Campaign Finance Case

South Carolina: State Ethics Law Has Disclosure Gaps

Vermont: Federal Judge Dismisses Vermont Campaign Finance Challenge

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.

The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission has submitted a recommendation to the legislative research commission for several changes to the code of legislative ethics.

The recommended changes include:

• requiring employers of lobbyists to report the cost of advertising supporting or opposing legislation that appears during a session of the general assembly, if the cost is paid by an employer of lobbyists or a person affiliated with an employer;

• prohibiting employers of lobbyists and PACs from making campaign contributions to legislative candidates or legislators during a regular session of the general assembly, and prohibiting lobbyists from directly soliciting contributions for an election campaign of a legislator or legislative candidate;

• repeal the provision allowing each lobbyist and employer to spend up to $100 annually on food and beverages for each legislator and his or her immediate family, and prohibit lobbyists and employers from paying for out-of-state travel, food, or lodging expenses for legislators or candidates; and

• limiting the interaction between lobbyists and candidates who have filed to run for election to the general assembly, who are currently not subject to the $100 limit on food and beverage or prohibition on receiving anything of value from a lobbyist or employer.

“Public stations may get OK for political ads” by David Bauder (Associated Press) in The Washington Times.

“After winning right to spend, political groups fight for secrecy” by Joseph Tanfani and Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times.

Alaska: “Federal government role in Alaska elections questioned” by Becky Bohrer in the Anchorage Daily News.

District of Columbia: “Embattled DC Mayor Gray to propose campaign finance reforms in bid to end ‘pay to play’” by Ben Nuckols (Associated Press) in The Washington Post.

Minnesota: “Lobbying is a big business in Minnesota” by Jennifer Brooks in the Star Tribune.

Minnesota: “High court ruling throws state campaign law into doubt” by Corey Mitchell in the Star Tribune.

Texas: “Cruz-Dewhurst battle pits D.C. and Austin lobbyists” by Priya Anand in the Houston Chronicle.

Vermont: “Vermont Officials Criticize Federal Ruling On Campaign Finance” by Bob Kinzel on Vermont Public Radio.

“In case you missed it: ‘Capitol Assets’ highlights” by Ed O’Keefe in the Washington Post.

“Street Talk: Lobby Shop Ogilvy Now Faces Uncertain Future” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.

Indiana: “Daniels unsure of lobbying as Purdue” by The Associated Press in the Evansville Courier & Press.

Minnesota:  “Local government units spent $8.3M on legislative lobbying last year” by Brian Lambert on MinnPost.com.

South Carolina: “Ethics hearing for S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley to begin Thursday” by Andrew Shain in the Kansas City Star.

Federal:

Critics: Lobbying ethics rules go too far

Nonprofits Outspent Super PACs in 2010, Trend May Continue

Supreme Court Rules against Union on Nonmember Fees for Politics

From the States and Municipalities:

Connecticut

Malloy Vetoes Campaign Finance Bill

Connecticut

Probes Cast Shadow in Congressional Race

District of Columbia

District’s Political Corruption Has Deep Roots

Illinois

Illinois House Expulsion in 1905 Laid Groundwork for 2012 Smith Case

Montana

Montana AG Asks Federal Judge to Uphold Campaign Contribution Limits

New Jersey

N.J. Governor Candidates Can Receive More Money from Donors, Public Financing under New Guidelines

Ohio

Ex-Rep. Weddington Gets Three Years for Bribery

Wyoming

Wyoming Lawsuit Challenges FEC Regulations
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.

Campaign Finance

“‘Citizens United’ Case Gets Renewed Scrutiny” by David Welna on NPR.org.

“Post-Watergate campaign finance limits undercut by changes” by Dan Eggen in the Washington Post.

“Will Text-Message Fundraising Revolutionize the Political Cash Game?” by Alex Roarty in the Atlantic.

Connecticut: “Common Cause slams Malloy veto of campaign finance bill” by Mark Pazniokas in CTMirror.org.

Florida: “High school students create a super PAC” by Lane DeGregory in the Miami Herald.

Tennessee: “Many TN lawmakers have deeper pockets than challengers” by Elizabeth Bewly on WBIR.com.

Lobbying

“Does ALEC influence politics, laws?” by Dana Beyerle in the Tuscaloosa News.

Arkansas: “Ethics reform emerging in partisan politics” by Rob Moritz in Arkansas News.

Georgia: “Lobbyist fined for $17,000 European trip with Ralston” by Doug Richards in WXIA News.

Rhode Island: “Lawmakers Pocketed Thousands from Lobbyists in May” by Dan McGowan in GoLocalProv.

“Ethics Commission offers new campaign finance search tool” by Mike Lear in MissouriNet.

“2 Campaigns Chasing Funds at Frantic Pace” by Ashley Parker and Helene Cooper.

“Entrepreneurs, small lobby shops challenging K Street’s old guard” by Kevin Bogardus in The Hill.

Arkansas:  “Backers optimistic about ethics measure; GOP lawmaker questions proposal” by Jeff Arnold in the Arkansas News.

Connecticut: “Connecticut lawmakers return for special session” by Susan Haigh (Associated Press) in the Norwich Bulletin.

“Washington’s Top Lobbying Groups Hire Mostly Men: BGOV Barometer” by Jonathan D. Salant and Jennifer Prince in Bloomberg News.

“Study: Lobbying bad for business?” by Tim Mak in Politico.

Here is the original study the above article references: “Corporate political giving doesn’t pay” by Amy Hodges in Rice University News & Media.

“K Street: ‘Let’s meet’; Hill staffers: ‘Text me’” by Dave Levinthal in Politico.

“The State of K Street: Work in the Shadows – Lobbying Rules That Were Meant to Regulate the Industry Have Spawned the Emergence of the Unlobbyist” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.

New York:  “Lobbyists directed contributions” by Jimmy Vielkind in the Albany Times Union.

New York: “Lobbyists gave state pols $1.8M” by Erik Kriss in the New York Post.

“Are politicians too rich to understand us?” by Timothy Stanley on CNN.

“Hotel industry’s top lobbyist bringing it back to Main Street” by Elise Viebeck in The Hill.

“Text Messages as Campaign Finance Reform?” by Quentin Fottrell in the Wall Street Journal.

“The Politics of Social Networking” by Damon Eris on the Independent Voter Network.

“At Meeting of Left’s Online Activists, Weighing Impact of Attack Ads” by Sarah Wheaton in The New York Times.

Alaska: “Will Citizens United result in Big Oil deciding who wins Alaska elections?” in the Alaska Dispatch.

District of Columbia:  “Ex-D.C. Council Chairman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud” by Tom Schoenberg in Bloomberg.

Georgia: “Taking the Pledge – Most see need for lobbyist gift cap” in the Marietta Daily Journal.

Kansas: “Voters will see big changes from new redistricting plan” by Scott Rothschild in the Lawrence Journal World.

New York: “Analysis: $2M gambling bet puts focus on lobbyist” by The Associated Press in The Wall Street Journal.

The secretary of the commonwealth’s office launched a new online lobbyist disclosure system Monday, June 11, 2012. The new system, available here, replaces the previous online filing system.

Lobbyists will use the account they created for the new registration system last month to access the online disclosure system. The new system allows lobbyists to sign their disclosure form electronically, and does not require a hard-copy signature follow-up.

The secretary of the commonwealth’s office strongly encourages lobbyists to file their disclosure statements electronically rather than mailing a hard copy.

National:

Poll: Sharp increase in partisan divides among Americans

Federal:

Lobbyists Ask Congress for a Mandate on Ethics

From the States and Municipalities:

Arkansas

Democratic, Republican Leaders Back Ethics Initiative

California

State’s Top 100 Political Donors Contribute $1.25 Billion

Delaware

Delaware Lawmakers Approve Campaign Finance Revisions

District of Columbia

D.C. Council Chairman Kwame Brown Resigns after He Is Charged with Bank Fraud

Florida

Research Group Says Florida Has Most Corrupt Officials

Georgia

Georgia Lawmakers Back Lobbying Cap but Ignored Bill

North Carolina

Legislators, Lobbyists Mix Business with Pleasure

North Carolina

State Ethics Panel to Investigate Lobbyists Tied to Tillis Aides

South Carolina

Gov. Nikki Haley Ethics Inquiry Could Have Major Statehouse Implications

Wisconsin

Walker Survives Wisconsin Recall Vote

State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.

News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.