Campaign Finance

California: “How a Supreme Court Case About Nonprofit Donations Could Affect America’s Elections” by Madeleine Carlisle (Time) for Yahoo News

Elections

National: “Inside the Democratic Strategy to Expand Voting Rights State by State” by Liz Crampton for Politico

Arizona: “Election Conspiracies Live on with Audit by Arizona GOP” by Jonathan Cooper and Bob Christie for Associated Press News

Ethics

National: “Gaetz Probe Includes Scrutiny of Potential Public Corruption Tied to Medical Marijuana Industry” by Evan Perez, Paula Reid, Scott Glover, and David Shortell for CNN

National: “Clyburn Facing Potential $5,000 Metal Detector Fine” by Olivia Beavers and Rachel Bade for Politico

Alaska: “Alaska Lawmaker Blasted Airline for ‘Mask Tyranny.’ Now She’s Banned from the Only Flights to the Capital.” by Tim Elfrink (Washington Post) for MSN

New York: “New York’s Ethics’ Overhaul on a Slow Path to Reform, but Will It Get There?” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

South Carolina: “Fired SC Director ‘Tainted’ Process Giving Husband a $600K Contract, Report Says” by Maayan Schechter (The State) for MSN

Lobbying

Texas: “Texas Lawmakers, Lobby Firm React to Allegations That a Lobbyist Gave Date Rape Drug to Capitol Aide” by Cassandra Pollock for Texas Tribune

Elections

Texas: “As the Voting-Rights Fight Moves to Texas, Defiant Republicans Test the Resolve of Corporations That Oppose Restrictions” by Amy Gardner (Washington Post) for MSN

Washington DC: “House Democrats Pass D.C. Statehood – Launching Bill into Uncharted Territory” by Meagan Flynn (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

National: “Only 17 Percent of Public Affairs Staff Are People of Color: Survey” by Alex Gangitano for The Hill

National: “Voting Rights Standoff Stalls Trump-Inspired Ethics Measures” by Elizabeth Williamson for New York Times

Illinois: “Fired Madison County Officials Sue Cities Over Two-year Corruption Investigation” by Kavahn Mansouri (Belleville News-Democrat) for MSN

Michigan: “State Investigation into Detroit Mayor’s Office, Deleted Emails Results in No Charges” by Joe Guillen (Detroit Free Press) for MSN

Ohio: “FirstEnergy Says It’s Talking to Feds About Cutting Deal in HB6 Bribery Probe” by Andrew Tobias for Cleveland Plain Dealer

Lobbying

National: “The Brother of a Top Biden Advisor Lobbied the White House This Year on Behalf of Big Health-Care Companies” by Brian Schwartz for CNBC

Nebraska: “Nebraska Watchdog Group Files Complaint Against Former Lawmaker” by Martha Stoddard for Omaha World-Herald

National/Federal

A Government Ethics Office Refused to Approve Kanye West’s Financial Disclosures from His Failed Presidential Campaign
MSN – Grace Panetta (Business Insider) | Published: 4/19/2021

The Office of Government Ethics refused to sign off on Kanye West’s financial disclosure forms from his failed 2020 presidential campaign. Observers said the unusual step is likely due to West not fully disclosing his wife’s income and assets. On the form, West claimed he was exempt from reporting Kim Kardashian West’s income by citing a law stating federal candidates can go without disclosing their spouse’s income sources if they have no knowledge of the income stream, it is not connected to their own economic activities, and they do not expect to derive a financial benefit from it.

As Some States Rush to Redistrict, Gerrymandering Fight Moves to Back Burner
MSN – Michael Macagnone (Roll Call) | Published: 4/15/2021

A handful of states are looking to jump the gun amid the wait for census data, putting efforts to change the way legislative maps get redrawn on the back foot and raising concerns about transparency. Because of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic and decisions by the former Trump administration, Census Bureau officials will be late delivering decennial results. The agency has promised congressional apportionment data by the end of April, with redistricting data coming as late as the end of September. The delays present challenges to dozens of states, ranging from blown mapmaking deadlines to crammed primary schedules.

Big Spending on Personal Security Ignites Post-Jan. 6 Debate Over Members’ Budgets
Politico – Sarah Ferris and Daniel Payne | Published: 4/16/2021

More than one third of the 17 Republican lawmakers who voted to impeach or convict former President Trump used campaign funds to install security systems or hire private details within weeks of their votes, for a total of nearly $200,000 over the first three months of this year. Congressional spending on private security has surged among members of both parties since the deadly riot on January 6 amid a spike in death threats against lawmakers and their families. That spending, all revealed in recent campaign finance disclosures, spotlights a challenge many lawmakers are eager to tackle: how to update the strict rules that govern personal security costs for members of Congress.

Corporations Agree to Transparency on Climate Lobbying
MSN – Laura Weiss (Roll Call) | Published: 4/14/2021

The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, a coalition of socially responsible investors, announced its members made deals with the five companies to report publicly about their influence on climate policy and alignment with the Paris Agreement, which led to the withdrawal of shareholder proposals. Some of the companies will provide stand-alone climate lobbying reports that lay out direct and trade association activities, while others will include disclosures in sustainability reports. The group expects some of the disclosures to include that companies are changing their lobbying practices.

Election Objectors Leaned on Small Donors After Corporate PAC Backlash
Politico – Zach Montellaro, Theodoric Meyer, and Allan James Vestal | Published: 4/16/2021

Most House Republicans who objected to the certification of President Biden’s victory saw their small-dollar fundraising rise in the first three months of this year compared to the same quarter in 2019, in the latest indication that Republicans are not facing a major cash crunch three months after many corporate PACs vowed to stop giving to their campaigns. It is not clear how long the corporate PACs that paused the giving will remain dark or who they will support once they reopen for business.

Government Spends £66,000 on Lobbyists Register Run by Part-Time Boss
The Guardian – Jim Waterson | Published: 4/16/2021

The United Kingdom’s Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists was founded in 2014 following a series of scandals in the early part of David Cameron’s tenure as prime minister, with a pledge to increase transparency around lobbying activities. But its activities have been severely limited by the narrow powers and resources granted to it by the government compared with equivalent registers in countries such as the United States. The culture of lobbying the government has come under scrutiny following the revelations that Cameron privately lobbied leading government ministers on behalf of Greensill Capital.

Groups See New Openings for Digging Up Dirt on Trump
The Hill – Rebecca Beitsch | Published: 4/20/2021

Public interest groups determined to stay focused on the Trump administration say they have new openings for unearthing information now that the past government’s political appointees have departed. Various groups that flooded the government with Freedom of Information Act requests say the departures have greased the wheels of various agencies’ public records shops. Requests ranging from the pandemic response and the January 6 attack on the Capitol are moving forward, potentially aiding activists eager to bring new dirt to light.

How the G.O.P. Is Creating Harsher Penalties for Protesters
Yahoo News – Reid Epstein and Patricia Mazzei (New York Times) | Published: 4/21/2021

There is a wave of new anti-protest legislation, sponsored and supported by Republicans, in the 11 months since Black Lives Matter protests swept the country following the death of George Floyd. The Minneapolis police officer who killed Floyd, Derek Chauvin, was convicted on murder and manslaughter charges. But while Democrats seized on Floyd’s death to highlight racism in policing and other forms of social injustice, Republicans responded to a summer of protests by proposing a raft of punitive new measures governing the right to lawfully assemble. GOP lawmakers in 34 states have introduced 81 anti-protest bills during the 2021 legislative session, more than twice as many proposals as in any other year.

‘I’m Still a Zero’: Vaccine-resistant Republicans warn that their skepticism is worsening
MSN – Dan Diamond (Washington Post) | Published: 4/20/2021

Public health officials are working to understand potential roadblocks in the campaign to inoculate Americans against the coronavirus. Among the most pressing questions are why so many Republican voters remain opposed to the shots and whether the recent decision to pause Johnson & Johnson vaccinations was a factor. Although more than half of U.S. adults have received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine, more than 40 percent of Republicans have consistently told pollsters they are not planning to be vaccinated, a group that could threaten efforts to tamp down the virus’s spread, public health officials fear.

Just 12 Megadonors Accounted for 7.5% of Political Giving Over Past Decade, Says Report
MSN – Soo Rin Kim (ABC News) | Published: 4/20/2021

A dozen megadonors and their spouses contributed a combined $3.4 billion to federal candidates and political groups since 2009, according to a report produced by Issue One. The research shows the top 12 donors split equally between six Democrats and six Republicans. The list includes multiple Wall Street billionaires and investors, a Facebook co-founder, a shipping magnate, and the heir to a family fortune dating back to the Gilded Age. The study quantifies the intensifying concentration and increasing role of the super-rich in American politics following the loosening of restrictions on political spending by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Leadership PACs Are Often Overlooked. These Corny Names Can’t Be Ignored
MSN – Herb Jackson (Roll Call) | Published: 4/20/2021

If you won your seat in Congress by one of the narrowest margins ever – six votes – you cannot run away from it. And U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks showed she is owning her win in choosing the name for her leadership PAC, a fundraising committee that operates parallel to, and with more relaxed spending rules, than the one she will use to run for reelection. Showing some originality in an area of campaign finance where too many lawmakers rely on gimmicks, or even names that were taken before them, Miller-Meeks not only trumpeted her close win by choosing “Six Political Action Committee.” That is Six PAC if you are filling out checks.

Pompeos Violated Rules on Use of State Department Resources, IG Finds
Politico – Nahal Tusi | Published: 4/16/2021

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo violated federal ethics rules governing the use of taxpayer-funded resources when he and his wife, Susan, asked State Department employees to carry out tasks for their personal benefit more than 100 times, a government watchdog determined. Investigators uncovered scores of instances in which Mike or Susan Pompeo asked State Department staffers to handle tasks of a personal nature, from booking salon appointments and private dinner reservations to picking up their dog and arranging tours for the Pompeos’ political allies. Employees told investigators they viewed the requests from Susan Pompeo, who was not on the federal payroll, as being backed by the secretary.

The End of the Imperial Governorship
Politico – Nick Neidzwaidek | Published: 4/14/2021

Lawmakers across the country have proposed and, in many cases, passed measures to curtail the sweeping powers bestowed on their state executives. The tug-of-war between legislators and governors has the potential to shape the boundaries of gubernatorial authority for years to come and raises substantive questions of how much leeway the state leaders should have during prolonged crises. Debates over things like mask mandates and economic restrictions were frequent last year. But the conflict over the power of the executive transcends ordinary politics, playing out in states both red and blue, and even where one party controls both branches.

The GOP’s Big Bulk Book-Buying Machine Is Boosting Republicans on the Bestseller Lists
MSN – Michael Macagnone (Roll Call) | Published: 4/15/2021

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spent nearly $400,000 on bulk purchases of U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw’s book last year. It acquired 25,500 copies through two online booksellers, enough to fuel the book’s ascent up the bestseller lists. The NRCC said it gave away copies as incentives to donors. The NRCC was not the only outfit providing a boost to conservative authors. Four party-affiliated organization collectively spent more than $1 million during the past election cycle mass-purchasing books written by GOP candidates, elected officials. The purchases helped turn several volumes into bestsellers.

Third House GOP Lawmaker Issued $5,000 Metal Detector Fine
The Hill – Cristina Marcos | Published: 4/20/2021

A third Republican lawmaker, U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, has been issued a $5,000 fine for failing to comply with a security screening before entering the House chamber. Rogers set off the metal detector stationed at one of the entrances to the chamber but continued walking. A Capitol Police officer then told Rogers he needed to go through additional security. “Maybe later, I have to vote,” Rogers replied, according to the police report.

From the States and Municipalities

California – Another Recology Exec Faces Charges of Bribing Mohammed Nuru
MSN – Megan Cassidy (San Francisco Chronicle) | Published: 4/20/2021

A former Recology vice president was charged with money laundering and bribery as part of an alleged attempt to increase San Francisco’s dumping fees to the waste management company, becoming the business’ second executive to be netted in the still-expanding City Hall corruption scandal. The case against John Porter comes to light as the company prepares to pay back nearly $100 million to San Francisco customers who were overcharged, and months after Paul Giusti, one of Porter’s subordinates, was charged with similar conduct.

California – How San Jose Mayor’s Ally Helped Bloom Energy Skirt a Natural Gas Ban
San Jose Spotlight – Sonja Herrera and Tran Nguyen | Published: 4/15/2021

Two weeks before San Jose passed a ban on natural gas for new commercial buildings, city officials introduced an exemption that benefited a local company, Bloom Energy, whose vice president is a friend to the mayor. Critics say the way they did it shows the stark difference in access granted to political insiders, as well as the extent to which city policy is swayed by special interests. “It’s politics. … We want everybody to have an opportunity to chime in, especially if you’re going to be directly impacted,” said Councilperson Raul Peralez. “In theory, it makes sense … in real practice, it’s not very fair.”

Florida – Dark Money Details Emerge as Former Florida State Senator and No-Party Candidate Head to Court
MSN – Ana Ceballos and Samantha Gross (Miami Herald) | Published: 4/14/2021

An alleged election scheme that stumped Florida’s political world is about to spill into court, as former state Sen. Frank Artiles is set to face trial in a public corruption case. Artiles is facing several felony charges for allegedly recruiting and paying Alexis Pedro Rodriguez, an auto-parts dealer, to run as a no-party candidate in Senate District 37 race to sway the outcome of the election. While prosecutors have charged Artiles and Rodriguez related to the scheme, the investigation is still open, and many questions remain on whether the case could expand to other 2020 Florida Senate races that also featured mysterious no-party candidates.

Florida – Matt Gaetz’s Scandal Puts a New Spotlight on Florida’s Male-Dominated Capital Culture
Bangor Daily News – Skyler Swisher (South Florida Sun Sentinel) | Published: 4/17/2021

Tallahassee has long been a perfect recipe for political scandal – a state capital that can take on a frat-house-like atmosphere removed from the watchful eyes of spouses and loved ones. Now, as U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz fights to save his career, scrutiny is once again being placed on the long-standing culture of Florida’s capital city where Gaetz got his start in politics. The pandemic has changed dynamics for the 2021 legislative session with COVID-19 safeguards keeping lobbyists away from the Capitol and toning down after-hours events. But a persistent cultural problem still exists, said Susan Glickman, who lobbies for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

Illinois – How Should Springfield Clean Up After the ComEd Scandal? Lawmakers’ Reform Plans Are Hazy
WBEZ – Dave McKinney and Tony Arnold | Published: 4/17/2021

Illinois lawmakers have yet to put up new ethical guardrails in response to the historic Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) bribery scandal that toppled ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan and led to a series of federal indictments. Given the nature of Madigan’s dramatic and forced departure, meting out some legislative consequences for the powerful utility company’s misconduct would be a logical response for Illinois lawmakers this spring. A pair of potential rewrites to state utility law give some prominence to ethics reforms related to the revelations in the ComEd probe, but nothing under consideration would seriously curb the outsized political influence ComEd has enjoyed for decades in Illinois.

Kansas – Proposed Ethics Code Limits Gifts to Wichita Officials for the First Time in History
Wichita Eagle – Chance Swaim | Published: 4/16/2021

Wichita city leaders are considering overhauling their ethics code and for the first time setting a limit on gifts to city council members. The proposed rules would ban gifts worth more than $150 a year, establish an anonymous hotline for reporting ethics violations, and set up an appointed commission to review complaints. Violating the code could result in a fine between $100 and $1,000. Mayor Brandon Whipple has pushed for the reforms after ethical breaches led to several local officials leaving office in recent years and raised questions about the city’s bidding process.

Louisiana – Proposal to Shield Industry’s Groundwater Board Members from Ethics Charges Advances
New Orleans Advocate – Sam Karlin | Published: 4/20/2021

A proposal to exempt the industry members of the Capital Area Groundwater Commission from certain ethics laws after five members of the board were hit with conflicts-of-interest charges won support from a Senate panel over opposition from environmental advocates. At stake is whether five members of the board – those employed by the Baton Rouge Water Company, ExxonMobil, Georgia-Pacific, and Entergy – can sit on the board without running afoul of state ethics laws. The Louisiana Board of Ethics voted to bring charges against the members last year because they are employed by companies they regulate.

Louisiana – State Senator Casts Tie-Breaking Vote for Slidell Casino. His Wife Is One of the Lobbyists
Louisiana Daily News – Tyler Bridges (New Orleans Advocate) | Published: 4/19/2021

A controversial proposal to move a casino boat to Slidell cleared its first hurdle when a Senate committee chairperson, whose wife is a lobbyist for the measure, cast the tie-breaking vote. State Sen. Gary Smith’s wife is one of 19 lobbyists hired by Brent Stevens, the founder of P2E, the company that wants to move its shuttered casino. The extraordinary number of lobbyists has caught the attention of insiders who note it takes only 20 votes to approve legislation in the Senate. Before the hearing, Smith said he did not know his wife, a veteran lobbyist, was working on the issue.

Maryland – In Rebuke to Hogan, Maryland Statehouse Passes Ethics Bill
Washington Monthly – Eric Cortellessa | Published: 4/13/2021

Maryland lawmakers unanimously voted for more enhanced disclosure requirements for elected officials following a media report about Gov. Larry Hogan who, unbeknownst to legislators or the public, advanced road and highway infrastructure projects near properties owned by his real-estate firm, a move that can increase the value of those properties. Hogan has not yet said whether he will sign the bill into law, although that seems likely given there are more than enough votes to override a veto.

Massachusetts – Should DiMasi, and Other Federal Felons, Face a Ban on Lobbying Beacon Hill? The SJC Will Decide
MSN – Matt Stout (Boston Globe) | Published: 4/16/2021

The Supreme Judicial Court will rule on whether former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and others guilty of federal corruption charges should be barred from lobbying state lawmakers, the governor, and other Massachusetts officials for 10 years after their conviction, even if their crimes are not directly cited in the state law. The question could be precedent-setting and has been at the center of a two-plus-year legal battle between Secretary of State William Galvin and DiMasi, who joined the lobbyist ranks in September after a Superior Court judge ruled the ban did not apply to him because the law only references state convictions, not federal ones.

Massachusetts – Wunderkind Ex-Mayor to Face Jurors in Fraud, Bribery Case
Associated Press News – Alanna Durkin Richer | Published: 4/18/2021

After he was elected mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts, at just 23 years old, it seemed Jasiel Correia’s political career had nowhere to go but up. But prosecutors now say he is a fraud and a thief. Correia heads to trial on charges he stole more than $230,000 from investors in a smartphone app he created to pay for things like a Mercedes and casino trips. As mayor, he is accused of convincing his chief of staff to give him half of her salary to keep her city job and extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from marijuana businesses seeking to operate there.

Michigan – Benson’s Office Backs Unlock Michigan on Not Disclosing Donor Sources
Yahoo News – Craig Mauger (Detroit News) | Published: 4/14/2021

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson decided a nonprofit organization that is funded by secret donors and helped bankroll the Unlock Michigan campaign does not have to report where its contributions came from. The ruling is a boon for nonprofit groups that want to engage in campaigns in Michigan without having to file disclosures. A complaint argued because Michigan Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility made a series of contributions to Unlock Michigan, the group qualified as a ballot committee itself. Under that interpretation, the group would have to file its own disclosures about where $1.8 million came from.

Michigan – Michigan House Unveils Plan to Overhaul Ethics Policies Ranked Last in Country
Detroit News – Craig Mauger | Published: 4/20/2021

The Republican and Democratic leaders of the Michigan House revealed a plan to institute wide-ranging ethics reforms, targeting policies that have been ranked worst nationally for transparency. At least some of the bills are proposing fundamental changes for lobbying and disclosure laws, which have been agreed on by House members on both sides of the aisle. If all of them became law, they would alter how Lansing operates, providing additional oversight, de-emphasizing the so-called “lame duck” period, and changing the House process for deciding when bills take effect.

Michigan – Police Pulled Over a Michigan Lawmaker for Allegedly Driving Drunk. He Threatened to Call the Governor.
MSN – Teo Armus (Washington Post) | Published: 4/22/2021

For almost 50 miles, witnesses reported, a Chevy Tahoe with the vanity plate “ELECTED” was driving so recklessly that at least one person saw the car go the wrong way before it rolled into a ditch. Inside the vehicle, state police found Michigan Rep. Jewell Jones, whose blood alcohol level was allegedly more than double the legal limit. In the cupholder behind him was a semiautomatic handgun. “If you hit me, it’s going to be very bad for you. I’ll call Gov. [Gretchen] Whitmer right now,” Jones told the officers. “When I call Gretchen,” he allegedly continued, they would have to hand over their “IDs, badge numbers, everything.”

Michigan – Whitmer: Michigan will vet labor, environmental compliance of firms bidding on state jobs
MSN – Paul Egan (Detroit Free Press) | Published: 4/16/2021

Companies bidding on state government contracts will be vetted to try to ensure they are not committing payroll fraud, are paying fair wages and benefits, and have acceptable labor and environmental records, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said. The new rules, which Whitmer said will implement an executive directive she issued in 2019, are in part a response to the 2018 repeal of Michigan’s “prevailing wage” law. which generally required firms to pay union wages and benefits for state government and school district jobs, following a voter initiative, Whitmer said.

Missouri – Eric Greitens Was Biggest Donor to Own Senate Campaign; State Filing Raises Red Flags
Yahoo News – Bryan Lowry (Kansas City Star) | Published: 4/16/2021

One donor accounted for more than half of the money raised so far by former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens’ U.S. Senate campaign: Eric Greitens. His total represents about a tenth of what was raised by Democrat Lucas Kunce during the first quarter of the 2022 cycle. Greitens still maintains a state campaign account with nearly $200,000 but is barred from using it for his Senate candidacy under state and federal campaign rules. Greitens’ state report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission raises some red flags.

Missouri – Missouri House Expels Lawmaker Accused by His Children of Sexual and Physical Abuse
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Jack Suntrup | Published: 4/21/2021

Days after rejecting state Rep. Rick Roeber’s letter of resignation, the Missouri House voted to expel the Kansas City-area Republican whose now-adult children testified he sexually abused them when they were minors. A House Ethics Committee report states Roeber sexually abused two of his children when they were nine and five, respectively, and attempted to abuse the children other times. The report also says Roeber physically and mentally abused his children. Roeber, according to the report, said the published allegations prior to the election were “a political hit.” He said at one point during the investigation “all my kids are Democrats.”

Montana – Bill Exempting Religious Groups from Campaign Reporting Gets Another Shot
Helena Independent Record – Sam Wilson | Published: 4/21/2021

A bill exempting religious nonprofits from Montana’s campaign finance reporting requirements won the Senate’s endorsement after an earlier version was tabled in the House. Sen. Bryce Bennett said political organizations could hide behind a tax-exempt status as a religious group and use that cover to avoid disclosing donors the way other political committees are required to in the state. Sen. David Howard rejected that argument, saying the federal government has strict requirements for religious organizations to maintain a tax-exempt designation.

New York – Eric Adams’ Campaigns and Nonprofit Reaped Big Bucks from Lobbyists and Developers Seeking Help
The City – Eric Green and Yoav Gonen | Published: 4/18/2021

Eric Adams, Brooklyn’s borough president and a top-tier candidate for mayor, will soon deliver a recommendation that could help determine whether a zoning plan that would add thousands of new residences to what was once a primarily manufacturing and working-class enclave lives, dies, or is significantly altered. A longtime lobbyist for real estate interests with major investments in the area sits on the board of a nonprofit Adams controls. Besides serving on the board, Ethan Geto, provides pro bono services for the fund and his firm created and manages the nonprofit’s website.

New York – Mount Vernon Ethics Board Chair Arrested Over Campaign Threats
MSN – Jonathan Bandler (Rockland/Westchester Journal News) | Published: 4/21/2021

A lawyer trying to get on the Democratic primary ballot for the Mount Vernon City Council was arrested after allegedly threatening Councilperson Janice Duarte over her brother’s objections to his nominating petitions. Gregory Cannata, chairperson of the city’s Board of Ethics, was arraigned on two misdemeanor charges of third-degree attempted coercion after he was accused of threatening to ruin Duarte if her brother did not withdraw his objections.

Ohio – Cincinnati City Councilman Wendell Young Charged with Felony in ‘Gang of 5’ Texting Case
MSN – Sharon Coolidge and Kevin Grasha (Cincinnati Enquirer) | Published: 4/15/2021

Cincinnati City Councilperson Wendell Young was indicted on a single charge stemming from a three-year-old texting scandal. A grand jury charged Young with tampering with records, a third-degree felony punishable by up to three years in prison. The charges against Young mark the fourth time a sitting council member who was elected in 2017 has been charged with a crime. The texting scandal has cast a shadow over council since the texting among a majority of members occurred in 2018 during a battle over whether to fire the city manager.

Ohio – In Ohio, Utility and Fossil Fuel Influence Reaches Beyond Bailout Bill
Energy News Network – Kathiann Kowalski | Published: 4/19/2021

“Dark money” loopholes remain in Ohio law, despite a surgical repeal of part of the law at the heart of a $60 million corruption scandal. Meanwhile, more evidence has emerged in recent months, detailing the flow of money by groups engaged in the House Bill 6 scandal and showing close ties between current and former utility lobbyists and Gov. Mike DeWine, as well as various lawmakers. “We need to learn from our mistakes,” said Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, noting the House Bill 6 case is just the latest in a line of corruption scandals that have hit state politics in the past two decades.

Pennsylvania – Confined to Zoom No More, Activists Return to State Capitol to Hold Lawmakers to Account
Pennsylvania Capital-Star – Stephen Caruso and Elizabeth Hardison | Published: 4/20/2021

After being shut out for much of the last year, activists of all stripes are returning to the Pennsylvania Capitol. The building’s typical open-door policy allows citizens to attend rallies, knock on lawmakers’ doors, and sit in galleries to watch proceedings. But most advocacy groups curtailed their in-person activism last year, turning instead to Zoom or phone-banking campaigns. Michael Pollack, executive director of March on Harrisburg, said, “Lobbying over Zoom is very difficult. Legislators are able to avoid eye contact. … They are also able to orchestrate the conversation in a way so their staff can take the questions.”

Tennessee – Bill Ketron Penalized $135K for Campaign Finance Violations
Mufreesboro Post – Tayla Courage | Published: 4/16/2021

Rutherford County Mayor Bill Ketron was ordered to pay $135,000 by the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance after state auditors found hundreds of thousands of dollars unaccounted for in his campaign and PAC accounts. Ketron told the board the money was not missing but poor accounting just made it look that way. His daughter, who was the campaign’s treasurer, was sentenced to eight years of probation after pleading no contest to 15 counts accusing her of fraudulent insurance acts, forgery, theft, and impersonating a licensed professional. Ketron said he would check in with his daughter to make sure she was keeping up with filings and deadlines, and she reassured him she was attending to her duties as treasurer.

Washington – Tim Eyman Ordered to Pay $2.9 Million to Cover Washington Attorney General’s Legal Costs
The Chronicle – David Gutman (Seattle Times) | Published: 4/16/2021

Anti-tax initiative promoter Tim Eyman must pay almost $2.9 million to cover the legal fees and costs of Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s long-running lawsuit against Eyman for campaign finance violations, Thurston County Superior Court Judge James Dixon ruled. That sum is in addition to the $2.6 million civil penalty that Dixon previously imposed on Eyman for years of campaign finance violations the judge called “numerous and particularly egregious.” In granting the legal fees, Dixon gave a near-total victory to Ferguson in his nearly four-year case against Eyman.

West Virginia – Former ACT Lobbyist Won $500K from Lawsuit Against Former WV Schools Superintendent
Charleston Gazette-Mail – Ryan Quinn | Published: 4/15/2021

A former lobbyist for ACT Inc., the college entrance exam provider, was awarded $500,000 to settle his lawsuit against former state schools Superintendent Steve Paine and a current assistant superintendent. Lobbyist Jason Webb sued Paine, alleging the superintendent repeatedly discriminated against ACT’s attempt to win the statewide standardized testing contracts and, when Webb spoke up about it, threatened ACT with a loss of business if Webb did not relent.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum signed a bill amending the State Government Ethics Act to transfer authority to assess penalties for lobbyist gift and campaign contribution violations from the secretary of state to the Ethics Commission.

House Bill 1295 also makes previously mandatory penalties optional, but the lobbyist license revocation penalty for a second violation becomes mandatory if the secretary of state is notified of the violation by the Ethics Commission, a state’s attorney, or a court.

The bill also amends the North Dakota Election Code regarding campaign contribution reporting to give the secretary of state authority to audit reports if there is substantial reason to believe there are any violations.

The bill is effective immediately.

Campaign Finance

National: “Just 12 Megadonors Accounted for 7.5% of Political Giving Over Past Decade, Says Report” by Soo Rin Kim (ABC News) for MSN

National: “A Government Ethics Office Refused to Approve Kanye West’s Financial Disclosures from His Failed Presidential Campaign” by Grace Panetta (Business Insider) for MSN

Ethics

National: “How the G.O.P. Is Creating Harsher Penalties for Protesters” by Reid Epstein and Patricia Mazzei (New York Times) for Yahoo News

Louisiana: “Proposal to Shield Industry’s Groundwater Board Members from Ethics Charges Advances” by Sam Karlin for New Orleans Advocate

Massachusetts: “Wunderkind Ex-Mayor to Face Jurors in Fraud, Bribery Case” by Alanna Durkin Richer for Associated Press News

Michigan: “Michigan House Unveils Plan to Overhaul Ethics Policies Ranked Last in Country” by Craig Mauger for Detroit News

Missouri: “Missouri House Expels Lawmaker Accused by His Children of Sexual and Physical Abuse” by Jack Suntrup for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Ohio: “Cincinnati City Councilman Wendell Young Charged with Felony in ‘Gang of 5’ Texting Case” by Sharon Coolidge and Kevin Grasha (Cincinnati Enquirer) for MSN

Lobbying

Louisiana: “State Senator Casts Tie-Breaking Vote for Slidell Casino. His Wife Is One of the Lobbyists” by Tyler Bridges (New Orleans Advocate) for Louisiana Daily News

Pennsylvania: “Confined to Zoom No More, Activists Return to State Capitol to Hold Lawmakers to Account” by Stephen Caruso and Elizabeth Hardison for Pennsylvania Capital-Star

Procurement

Michigan: “Whitmer: Michigan will vet labor, environmental compliance of firms bidding on state jobs” by Paul Egan (Detroit Free Press) for MSN

Campaign Finance

National: “Leadership PACs Are Often Overlooked. These Corny Names Can’t Be Ignored” by Herb Jackson (Roll Call) for MSN

Washington: “Tim Eyman Ordered to Pay $2.9 Million to Cover Washington Attorney General’s Legal Costs” by David Gutman (Seattle Times) for The Chronicle

Ethics

National: “‘I’m Still a Zero’: Vaccine-resistant Republicans warn that their skepticism is worsening” by Dan Diamond (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Big Spending on Personal Security Ignites Post-Jan. 6 Debate Over Members’ Budgets” by Sarah Ferris and Daniel Payne for Politico

California: “Another Recology Exec Faces Charges of Bribing Mohammed Nuru” by Megan Cassidy (San Francisco Chronicle) for MSN

Florida: “Matt Gaetz’s Scandal Puts a New Spotlight on Florida’s Male-Dominated Capital Culture” by Skyler Swisher (South Florida Sun Sentinel) for Bangor Daily News

Missouri: “Missouri House Member Faces Expulsion After Investigation Finds He Sexually, Physically Abused His Children” by Jaclyn Peiser (Washington Post) for MSN

New York: “Eric Adams’ Campaigns and Nonprofit Reaped Big Bucks from Lobbyists and Developers Seeking Help” by Eric Green and Yoav Gonen for The City

Lobbying

Europe: “Government Spends £66,000 on Lobbyists Register Run by Part-Time Boss” by Jim Waterson for The Guardian

Campaign Finance

National: “Election Objectors Leaned on Small Donors After Corporate PAC Backlash” by Zach Montellaro, Theodoric Meyer, and Allan James Vestal for Politico

National: “Democrats Aim to Revive a Campaign Finance Watchdog” by Carl Hulse for New York Times

Missouri: “Eric Greitens Was Biggest Donor to Own Senate Campaign; State Filing Raises Red Flags” by Bryan Lowry (Kansas City Star) for Yahoo News

Ethics

National: “Pompeos Violated Rules on Use of State Department Resources, IG Finds” by Nahal Tusi for Politico

Illinois: “How Should Springfield Clean Up After the ComEd Scandal? Lawmakers’ Reform Plans Are Hazy” by Dave McKinney and Tony Arnold for WBEZ

Kansas: “Proposed Ethics Code Limits Gifts to Wichita Officials for the First Time in History” by Chance Swaim for Wichita Eagle

Maryland: “In Rebuke to Hogan, Maryland Statehouse Passes Ethics Bill” by Eric Cortellessa for Washington Monthly

Ohio: “In Ohio, Utility and Fossil Fuel Influence Reaches Beyond Bailout Bill” by Kathiann Kowalski for Energy News Network

Lobbying

West Virginia: “Former ACT Lobbyist Won $500K from Lawsuit Against Former WV Schools Superintendent” by Ryan Quinn for Charleston Gazette-Mail

Campaign Finance

Florida: “Dark Money Details Emerge as Former Florida State Senator and No-Party Candidate Head to Court” by Ana Ceballos and Samantha Gross (Miami Herald) for MSN

Michigan: “Benson’s Office Backs Unlock Michigan on Not Disclosing Donor Sources” by Craig Mauger (Detroit News) for Yahoo News

Tennessee: “Bill Ketron Penalized $135K for Campaign Finance Violations” by Tayla Courage for Mufreesboro Post

Ethics

National: “The GOP’s Big Bulk Book-Buying Machine Is Boosting Republicans on the Bestseller Lists” by Michael Macagnone (Roll Call) for MSN

Missouri: “Missouri House Rejects Rick Roeber’s Resignation, Buying Time to Finish Investigation” by Jeanne King and Jonathan Shorman (Kansas City Star) for MSN

Legislative Issues

National: “The End of the Imperial Governorship” by Nick Neidzwaidek for Politico

Lobbying

National: “Corporations Agree to Transparency on Climate Lobbying” by Laura Weiss (Roll Call) for MSN

California: “How San Jose Mayor’s Ally Helped Bloom Energy Skirt a Natural Gas Ban” by Sonja Herrera and Tran Nguyen for San Jose Spotlight

Massachusetts: “Should DiMasi, and Other Federal Felons, Face a Ban on Lobbying Beacon Hill? The SJC Will Decide” by Matt Stout (Boston Globe) for MSN

National/Federal

Asian American Super PAC Launches Operation to Improve Understanding of Fastest-Growing Electorate
MSN – Colby Itkowitz and Amy Wang (Washington Post) | Published: 4/11/2021

The AAPI Victory Fund super PAC, the top political organization representing Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, announced the creation of a new nonprofit group aimed at developing a greater understanding of the nuanced population that has long been excluded from conversations about issues such as racial justice, economic disparity, and politics generally. But the coronavirus pandemic brought those issues to the forefront for Asian Americans, who have been subjected to racist slurs, perpetrated by former President Trump and other Republicans using derogatory and stigmatizing terms to describe the virus, such as the “Wuhan flu.”

Dem Pollsters Acknowledge ‘Major Errors’ in 2020 Polling
Politico – Steven Shepard | Published: 4/13/2021

A group of top Democratic Party pollsters acknowledged “major errors” in their 2020 polling –errors that left party officials stunned by election results that failed to come close to expectations in November. Five of the party’s biggest polling firms have spent the past few months working together to explore what went wrong last year and how it can be fixed. It is part of an effort to understand why, despite data showing Joe Biden well ahead of then-President Trump, and Democrats poised to increase their House majority, the party won the presidency, the Senate, and House by narrow margins.

Democrats Look to Boost Campaign Staff Diversity Ahead of Midterms
MSN – Bridget Bowman (Roll Call) | Published: 4/8/2021

Ensuring campaign staff and consultants are from a mix of races, ethnicities, genders, and sexualities has been a persistent problem for a Democratic Party that relies on a diverse coalition of voters to win elections, campaign operatives said in interviews. The dearth of diverse campaign staffers also affects Capitol Hill since operatives often transition to a lawmaker’s office after a successful campaign. Democrats are particularly concerned about a lack of staff diversity ahead of the midterms next year, when they will be defending razor-thin majorities in the House and Senate.

Ethics Panel Upholds Metal Detector Fines Totaling $15K Against Rep. Clyde
The Hill – Chriatina Marcos | Published: 4/12/2021

The House Committee on Ethics upheld two fines worth a total of $15,000 against U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde for failing to comply with security screenings to enter the House chamber. In his appeal, Clyde did not deny he evaded the metal detectors stationed outside the chamber as a security measure established in the aftermath of the January 6 insurrection. Instead, he maintained the fines are unconstitutional, arguing in part it violates the 27th Amendment that prohibits any law that changes lawmakers’ salaries before their next terms in office and have been selectively enforced. Clyde said he plans to challenge the fines in federal court.

Gaetz Faces House Ethics Probe; Federal Investigation Widens
Associated Press News – Eric Tucker, Michael Balsamo, and Lisa Mascaro | Published: 4/10/2021

The House Committee on Ethics announced an investigation into U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz as federal prosecutors probing sex trafficking allegations against him are also scrutinizing the actions of some of his political allies and fellow Florida Republicans as part of a broader public corruption inquiry. The FBI’s examination of a wide range of topics involving Gaetz and his associates exemplifies the breadth of the investigation. Gaetz, who has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, has retained two prominent attorneys while facing a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls.

How the Corporate Backlash to Georgia’s New Voting Law is Shaping Other Fights Around the Country Over Access to the Polls
MSN – Amy Gardner and Mike DeBonis (Washington Post) | Published: 4/11/2021

The conflagration in Georgia has spread into other states such as Texas, Florida, Michigan, and Arizona, where both business interests and voting rights activists buoyed by newfound momentum are rethinking how to challenge Republican-backed voting measures. More than 100 chief executives and corporate leaders took part in a recent online meeting to discuss ways to oppose state voting bills being considered across the country. Advocates hope to capitalize on the moment by not only blocking voting restrictions being considered in the states, but also building support for federal legislation that would enshrine new voting rights nationally.

NRCC Warns Donors Trump Will Find Out If They Opt Out of Monthly Donations
MSN – Colby Itkowitz (Washington Post) | Published: 4/8/2021

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) threatened donors it will tell former President Trump they are defectors if they opt out of giving recurring monthly funds to the campaign arm for the House GOP. After donating to the NRCC, donors are shown a yellow box with a small pre-checked box that warns: “If you UNCHECK this box, we will have to tell Trump you’re a DEFECTOR.” Left checked and the supporter will be agreeing to contribute every month. The tactic, criticized by campaign finance experts as deceptive, was also employed by the Trump campaign from September until the 2020 election to shore up its dwindling coffers.

Stinging Report Raises New Questions About Capitol Security
ABC News – Mary Clare Jalonick (Associated Press) | Published: 4/14/2021

As Congress pushes for a return to normalcy months after the riot at the Capitol, a damning internal report about the deadly siege is painting a dire picture of the Capitol Police’s ability to respond to threats against lawmakers. The full report casts serious doubt on whether the police would be able to respond to another large-scale attack. The Capitol Police said in a statement the siege was “a pivotal moment” in history that showed the need for “major changes” in how the department operates, but it was “important to note that nearly all of the recommendations require significant resources the department does not have.”

Top Bidder for Tribune Newspapers Is an Influential Liberal Donor
New York Times – Kenneth Vogel and Katie Benner | Published: 4/13/2021

Before he emerged as a potential champion of journalism with his bid for Tribune Publishing, the Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss created a political operation to advance progressive policy initiatives and the Democrats who support them. The Hub Project was started by one of Wyss’s charitable organizations partly to shape media coverage to help Democratic causes. Wyss and his charitable foundation are not mentioned on The Hub Project’s website, and his role in its creation has not been previously reported. As a newspaper publisher, Wyss would be in a role very different from that of a behind-the-scenes backer of progressive causes.

UK Lobbying Scandal Snares Ex-PM Cameron; Govt Starts Probe
Associated Press News – Danica Kirka | Published: 4/12/2021

The controversy over former British Prime Minister David Cameron’s lobbying on behalf of a now-bankrupt financial services firm deepened as the government launched an investigation that opponents immediately labeled a “cover-up.” The Conservative government announced plans for an independent inquiry into Greensill Capital after Cameron made his first comments on the scandal and two senior politicians called for new rules on contacts between business representatives and government officials. News reports revealed Cameron lobbied government officials on behalf of Greensill, which collapsed recently.

Canada

Canada – Complaint Filed Against Lobbyist for Ontario Developers
Canada’s National Observer – Steve Buist and Emma McIntosh | Published: 4/13/2021

A former Member of Parliament (MP) working for developers who could benefit if Highway 413 is built violated Ontario’s lobbying law, alleges a complaint by a watchdog group. Democracy Watch alleges former MP Peter Van Loan’s lobbying of Premier Doug Ford and Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney created a conflict-of-interest. Van Loan was chair of Mulroney’s unsuccessful campaign for the leadership of the Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) Party. He is also a former president of the Ontario PC Party. Van Loan said he violated no rules and represents his clients as a lawyer.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – GOP Secretary of State Candidate Finchem Accused of Breaking Campaign Finance Law
Arizona Miror – Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Published: 4/14/2021

A watchdog group accused state Rep. Mark Finchem of violating Arizona campaign finance law by asking supporters to donate to his personal PayPal and Venmo accounts to pay the expenses for an election event. Finchem asked his followers on the social media platform Gab and encrypted messaging platform Telegram to donate to a PayPal account, which Finchem said was for the Make Arizona Safe Again PAC. Finchem is running for secretary of state in 2022, which would make him the top elections official in Arizona.

California – California Politicians Owe $2 Million in Campaign Fines, Don’t Get Punished
CalMatters – Laurel Rosenhall | Published: 4/14/2021

California has failed to collect $2 million in fines on a range of political players who filed late disclosure reports. The fines are owed by 26 state lawmakers and 21 Superior Court judges, as well as lobbyists, former legislators, losing candidates, ballot measure campaigns, Democratic and Republican clubs, and corporate and labor-backed PACs. About 300 of the penalties are less than $100, reflecting paperwork filed a few days late. But 45 of the fines are more than $10,000, and some are for violations more than a decade ago, raising questions about whether California is effectively enforcing its campaign finance law that is meant to promote transparency and prevent corruption.

Florida – Naples Ethics Commission Selects Miami-Dade Advocate as First Executive Director
MSN – Brittany Carloni (Naples Daily News) | Published: 4/14/2021

The Naples Ethics Commission selected the person it hopes to serve as the board’s first executive director. Commissioners chose to begin contract negotiations with Michael Murawski, the advocate in the enforcement unit for the Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust. Murawski said he hopes to start in the new role by June 1. Sixty-two percent of voters in Naples approved a referendum last August that amended the city’s charter to establish an independent Ethics Commission and an Ethics Office and to set minimum requirements for the city’s ethics code.

Florida – Records Show Former Florida Tax Collector Joel Greenberg Doled Out Contracts to Politicians, Strategists Tied to Figures in State’s Political Scandals
MSN – Jason Garcia and Annie Martin (Orlando Sentinel) | Published: 4/13/2021

Records depict a Seminole County Tax Collector’s Office that, under Joel Greenberg, turned into a source of money for people either personally close to Greenberg or plugged into Republican politics. Auditors hired to probe Greenberg’s spending after he resigned last year found ample evidence of potential “misuse of taxpayer dollars” and a series of vague consulting contracts for which they found no evidence of work. The records also provide further details of Greenberg’s friendships with two figures buffeted by the controversies: U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz and lobbyist Chris Dorworth. Greenberg told authorities he and Gaetz “had encounters with women who were given cash or gifts in exchange for sex,” according to media reports.

Florida – Search Warrant: Former Florida state senator had paperwork for no-party candidate in second Miami state Senate race
MSN – Samantha Gross and Ana Ceballos (Miami Herald) | Published: 4/8/2021

Former Florida Sen. Frank Artiles was in possession of campaign documents of two spoiler no-party candidates who ran in separate, competitive Miami-Dade County Senate races in 2020, according to a search warrant. Artiles is facing felony campaign finance related charges in connection with recruiting and paying an alleged spoiler candidate with the goal of swaying the Senate District 37 race. The 2020 election cycle drew three mysterious no-party candidates in contentious Senate races all won by Republicans. The candidates did no independent campaigning, had little to no public profiles, and their candidacies were all bolstered by similarly designed political mail advertisements that were paid for by $550,000 in untraceable funds.

Florida – Tampa Mayor Jane Castor Says Related Deal Doesn’t Contain Personal Conflicts.
MSN – Charlie Fargo (Tampa Bay Times) | Published: 4/14/2021

A lucrative preliminary selection for the development of a prime parcel in Tampa had family ties to Mayor Jane Castor. Her nephew, Alex Castor, works for Related, the firm that won the initial nod to develop the 18-acres. And her partner, Ana Cruz, works as a lobbyist for Ballard Partners, a powerful national firm with offices in Tampa. Ballard was working for Related during the request-for-proposal process that ended in March. Jane Castor said Ballard’s participation in the process was above board and she said it did not have any impact on Related’s preliminary selection out of six finalists.

Hawaii – City Permits Employee Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribe to Expedite Project
Honolulu Civil Beat – Christina Jedra | Published: 4/7/2021

A Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) employee pleaded guilty to taking a bribe to expedite a local architect’s projects. Kanani Padeken, a building plans examiner, was one of five current and former DPP employees charged in a federal corruption probe. She pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud in connection with her acceptance of at least $28,000 from architect William Wong between 2017 and 2020.

Hawaii – Ethics Board OKs Richards’ Vote: Councilman allowed to vote on Rodenhurst confirmation despite serving as a reference
West Hawaii Today – Nancy Cook Lauer | Published: 4/12/2021

It is not a violation of the ethics code for a Hawaii County Council member to serve as a reference for someone seeking a county job and then voting on that person’s confirmation, the Board of Ethics ruled. At issue was Councilperson Tim Richards’ endorsement of Public Works Director Ikaika Rodenhurst after being named in his official capacity as a reference for the position on Rodenhurst’s resume. A complaint asked the board to invalidate the vote that confirmed Rodenhurst because Richards did not recuse himself. Had Richards done so, Rodenhurst’s confirmation to the $132,577 position would have failed.

Illinois – Ethics Board Reduces Campaign Finance Fine Levied Against Ald. Austin From $145K to $5K
WTTW – Heather Cerone | Published: 4/12/2021

In January, the Chicago Board of Ethics voted to fine Ald. Carrie Austin $145,000 for accepting excessive campaign contributions. It was the first time the board levied the maximum fine allowed for violations of the city’s campaign finance law – three times the amount of the improper donations. The improper contribution was made by Benchmark Construction. The board fined the firm $5,000. The ethics board recently agreed to reduce Austin’s penalty to $5,000. Steve Berlin, executive director of the Board of Ethics, said the agency decided to reduce the fine by more than 96 percent “after considering the equities of the situation.”

Illinois – Longtime Precinct Captain for Indicted Ald. Edward Burke Pleads Guilty to Deceiving FBI in Corruption Probe
MSN – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 4/13/2021

A longtime Chicago fire inspector and 14th Ward precinct captain, Rudy Acosta watched as a succession of his political mentors were hit with federal charges, including Ald. Fred Roti, the mob-connected leader of the old 1st Ward who went to prison for bribery and current Ald. Edward Burke, who is awaiting trial on racketeering charges. But it was Acosta’s work as a liaison for corrupt former Illinois Sen. Martin Sandoval that finally landed him in trouble. Acosta pleaded guilty to misleading the FBI in a series of interviews about its investigation into Sandoval and other elected officials.

Kansas – Kansas Fight Shows How Election ‘Reforms’ May Favor One Side
Associated Press News – John Hanna and Andy Tsubasa Field | Published: 4/14/2021

Charley Crabtree was looking to help voters in nursing homes get absentee ballots delivered on time last year, so he picked up about 75 from at least 10 locations in his hometown of Lawrence. Republicans who control the Kansas Legislature want to make what he did a crime punishable by up to six months in jail. Republican lawmakers said they are protecting the integrity of the state’s elections by making it less likely that ballots will go missing or get altered. Democrats describe the measure that cleared the Legislature as an attack on get-out-the-vote efforts helping elderly, disabled, and poor voters.

Kansas – Records: Kansas lawmaker’s blood alcohol twice legal limit
Associated Press News – Margaret Stafford | Published: 4/8/2021

A powerful Kansas lawmaker accused of drunken driving had a blood alcohol level that was twice the legal limit and taunted the Highway Patrol officer who arrested him for allegedly speeding the wrong way on an interstate. Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop faces five counts, including a felony fleeing to avoid arrest and a misdemeanor driving under the influence charge. Suellentrop refused to take a breathalyzer test and was taken to a Topeka hospital. At one point, he called the arresting officer “donut boy,” according to the affidavit, and said the events were “all for going the wrong way.”

Massachusetts – A Senator Donated $137,000 to the State GOP. The Party Then Spent That Same Amount Aiding His Wife’s Campaign
MSN – Matt Stout (Boston Globe) | Published: 4/9/2021

State Sen. Ryan Fattman last year donated $137,000 to the Massachusetts Republican Party. The party then spent similar amounts helping another candidate: the senator’s wife. There are no limits on what the senator can donate to the party, or what the party can spend in helping another candidate. But the donations fall within the time frame in which state regulators say the Fattmans and others may have violated campaign finance laws, including those barring people from disguising the true source of money. Ryan Fattman also may have broken a rule that says candidates cannot make contributions to a political committee “on the condition or with the agreement or understanding” that the funds must then be sent to someone else.

Missouri – Missouri GOP State Lawmaker Rick Roeber Resigns Amid Allegations He Abused His Children
Yahoo News – Austin Huguelet (Springfield News-Leader) | Published: 4/13/2021

A Missouri lawmaker accused of sexually and physically abusing his children they were younger submitted his resignation. State Rep. Rick Roeber said he is leaving because he and his fiancée are preparing to move out of state to be closer to their extended families, including his ailing mother. Roeber’s announcement came as fellow lawmakers investigating the allegations against him appeared close to publishing damaging conclusions. Republican leaders, including the ethics panel chair, told the Jackson County prosecutor they had “information that needs to be forwarded to the proper authorities in your jurisdiction.” They also expressed concerns about the safety of a minor who regularly interacts with Roeber.

Montana – House Endorses Repeal of PAC Money Limits for Legislative Candidates
Helena Independent Record – Sam Wilson | Published: 4/14/2021

Montana would lose its status as arguably the nation’s most restrictive when it comes to campaign finance limits under a bill that passed a preliminary vote in the House. Senate Bill 224 would substantially hike maximum contributions from individuals and political committees to candidates for legislative and statewide offices, while eliminating limits on some campaign contributions and raising the threshold for which a contribution must be reported to the Commissioner of Political Practices.

Montana – State Supreme Court Quashes GOP Subpoena Seeking Internal Judiciary Emails
Missoula Current – Mike Dennison (MTN News) | Published: 4/12/2021

In an escalating political battle between Republican leadership at the Legislature and the state’s judiciary, the Montana Supreme Court quashed a subpoena that lawmakers used to obtain a cache of internal e-mails from the judiciary. The high court blocked any further release of the e-mails until it could rule on whether the legislative subpoena is proper. The subpoena is the latest twist in Republican efforts alleging some Montana judges are improperly taking sides on political issues, including a new law that gives Gov. Greg Gianforte more power to appoint judges.

New Jersey – ‘It’s Probably the Worst Day of My Life.’ Law Partner of Informant in N.J. Corruption Sting Pleads Guilty.
MSN – Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 4/13/2021

An attorney at the center of a straw donor scheme that helped steer taxpayer dollars toward a now-shuttered law firm pleaded guilty to tampering with public records. Elizabeth Valandingham admitted she submitted fake proposals for government contracts and falsified campaign finance reports to further the scheme. Valandingham must forfeit her law license, pay a $75,000 penalty, and will be disbarred from any public contracts for 10 years. Valandingham and an unnamed co-conspirator recruited family members and friends to act as straw donors, giving political donations in towns where the firm sought contracts. Valandingham and her co-conspirator then illegally refunded the donations.

New Jersey – Plan to Improve Legislators Financial Disclosure Now Stalled for Nearly 15 Months
New Jersey Globe – Nikita Biryukov | Published: 4/10/2021

A plan to update financial disclosures filed by New Jersey lawmakers remains stalled nearly 15 months after Senate President Steve Sweeney announced plans to raise income reporting thresholds. Lawmakers are required to disclose their finances under the legislative code of ethics, not by statute. While state law requires the Legislature adopt a code of ethics, it does not specify that code include provisions on financial disclosure. It is not clear that legislators are willing approve new disclosure rules before filings for 2020 come due on May 15.

New Mexico – Gov.’s Campaign Settles with Ex-Spokesman
Yahoo News – Dan McKay and Dan Boyd (Albuquerque Journal) | Published: 4/13/2021

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s gubernatorial campaign paid at least $62,500 as part of a settlement with a former staff member, James Halloran, who accused her of sexual mistreatment during a staff meeting. The five monthly payments of $12,500 are outlined in a campaign finance report filed by Lujan Grisham’s campaign. They are listed as legal expenses, with one payment a month from November through March.

New York – Andrew Yang’s Mayoral Campaign Is Being Run by a Lobbying Firm
City & State New York – Jeff Colton | Published: 4/14/2021

Tusk Strategies, a lobbying firm that is regularly hired by clients to advocate on issues being considered by elected officials in New York, is providing staff members for Andrew Yang’s bid to become the city’s next mayor. Other leading mayoral clients also have registered lobbyists consulting on their campaigns. Up until now, Yang’s mayoral campaign has been fully funded by private donors. But he has opted into the city’s public matching funds program, and the Campaign Finance Board is expected to approve a payment of more than $4 million in public funds to Yang, money that would help pay for Tusk Strategies’ services.

New York – ‘Bond Girl’ Talk and Groping: Albany’s toxic culture for women
New York Times – Sydney Ember, J. David Goodman, and Luis Ferré-Sadurni | Published: 4/12/2021

Sexual misconduct is a defining part of the culture of government in Albany, and so endemic it has continued even after scandals took down a governor, Eliot Spitzer, and several members of the state Assembly. It has been thrown into sharp relief by allegations against Gov. Andrew Cuomo from multiple current and former aides who have accused him of sexual harassment and, in one case, groping during an encounter in the Executive Mansion. Yet the allegations, which Cuomo has denied, also suggest a new generation of women in Albany will not remain silent or tolerate behaviors that many men there saw as normal.

New York – Cuomo, Top Aides Worked on COVID Book Alongside Publisher’s Reps at Executive Mansion
MSN – Jon Campbell and Joseph Spector (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle) | Published: 4/14/2021

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo gathered his inner circle at the Executive Mansion on two occasions last summer to critique and fact-check the manuscript of what would become the governor’s best-selling book, “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons Learned for the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Cuomo at one point had his top aides and advisers work alongside two representatives of The Crown Publishing Group, his publisher, according to sources. Cuomo received approval from ethics regulators to pursue the book but it was contingent on the governor not using state resources or personnel on the project, which would be a violation of state Public Officers Law.

New York – Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s Government Staff Did Work on ‘Super PAC’s’ Poll
Finger Lakes Times – Chris Bragg (Albany Times Union) | Published: 4/12/2021

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recent book deal is not the only instance where his office mixed private activities and government staff. Emails show in 2019, Cuomo’s top aide, Melissa DeRosa, did work related to campaign polling in the early morning and stretching into the afternoon of a Tuesday. She also instructed lower-level staff to perform a task related to the poll. A 1992 ethics opinion said campaigns must be run on an employee’s own time and no state resources of any kind can be used in the furtherance of the campaign. In this instance, Cuomo’s staff work was related to an outside campaign spending group, which was using the Cuomo campaign’s own pollster.

Ohio – Anti-Riot or Anti-Protest? Four Ohio Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Demonstrators
MSN – Anna Staver (Columbus Dispatch) | Published: 4/12/2021

The protests around Ohio last year were organized because people wanted change, especially in policing procedures, from their elected officials. But bills introduced by Republicans were not what they had in mind. These bills would increase the number of arrestable offenses at protests and enhance penalties for crimes committed during demonstrations that turn violent. Supporters of the four bills say the changes are necessary to protect first responders and peaceful protesters from “the lawlessness” of last summer’s demonstrations. Opponents describe them as photocopies of bills from other states and claim their true purpose is to intimidate people who protest controversial issues like police misconduct.

Ohio – Ohio Elections Commission Votes to Prosecute Newburgh Heights Mayor Over Campaign-Finance Violations
MSN – Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 4/8/2021

The Ohio Elections Commission voted to refer Newburgh Heights Mayor Trevor Elkins for prosecution over his misuse of roughly $134,000 in campaign funds to cover his personal expenses. Commissioners said they needed to make a tough statement on what they viewed as a precedent-setting case. The commission also voted to fine Elkins’ campaign $5,000 and to impose a $500 fine on his campaign treasurer, Bernadette Weaver.

Ohio – Shontel Brown Approved Major Contract, Then Contractor Backed Her Campaign
The Intercept – Matthew Cunningham-Cook and Sam Allard | Published: 4/14/2021

When Shontel Boyd was running for her seat on Cuyahoga County Council in 2014, she responded to questions about her links to the family of a major contractor by promising to “recuse herself from county contracts with ties to Mark Perkins as necessary.” Perkins, Brown’s partner, has longstanding ties to the general contractor Perk. But Brown in 2017 voted to give a $7 million contract to Perk. One of the firm’s owners then helped organize a fundraiser that bankrolled a significant portion of her reelection campaign. In total, she has approved more than $17 million to Perk and has received $13,000 in campaign donations from the Perkins family and Perk’s current owners, the Cifani family.

Texas – As Legislator and Real Estate Mogul, Gates Seeks to Disband Management Districts
Houston Chronicle – Jasper Scherer | Published: 4/13/2021

Before state Rep. Gary Gates was elected to the Texas House, the real estate executive launched a petition drive to disband the Southwest Management District, one of 39 special districts across Houston that collect taxes from commercial property owners to fund extra police patrols, sidewalk improvements, and other local services. He filed a bill that would make it easier to dissolve most management districts, including two he has targeted. Legislators commonly have a hand in bills that affect their livelihoods, but they rarely are reprimanded for doing so, said Andrew Cates, an expert in Texas ethics laws.

Utah – Utah Lawyer Calls State Bar Membership Unconstitutional
Courthouse News Service – Amanda Pampuro | Published: 4/13/2021

Utah lawyer Amy Pomeroy sued the state bar association, claiming it spent mandatory dues on political and ideological speech she disagrees with in violation of her First and 14th Amendment rights. The Utah State Bar mandates membership to practice law. Annual fees cost $425 plus a contribution to the “client security fund.” The bar currently allows members to apply for a rebate of their dues if they do not wish to fund lobbying efforts for public policy issues, but Pomeroy claimed the links she was provided with were dead ends. Pomeroy contends the state bar does readily provide information on what portion of the funds are spent on lobbying efforts and for what causes.

Washington DC – How White Fears of ‘Negro Domination’ Kept D.C. Disenfranchised for Decades
Washington Post – Meagan Flynn | Published: 4/14/2021

Historians released a report describing how race played a role in decisions to continue disenfranchising District of Columbia residents for decades. The report, “Democracy Deferred: Race, Politics, and D.C.’s Two-Century Struggle for Full Voting Rights,” brings to the surface a trove of overtly racist ideas about the city’s incapability to govern itself dating from Reconstruction, when Black men gained the right to vote, through the civil rights movement, when it finally won limited home rule. At the heart of the resistance to granting suffrage was a fear of Black political power.

Campaign Finance

California: “California Politicians Owe $2 Million in Campaign Fines, Don’t Get Punished” by Laurel Rosenhall for CalMatters

Ohio: “Shontel Brown Approved Major Contract, Then Contractor Backed Her Campaign” by Matthew Cunningham-Cook and Sam Allard for The Intercept

Elections

Washington DC: “How White Fears of ‘Negro Domination’ Kept D.C. Disenfranchised for Decades” by Meagan Flynn for Washington Post

Ethics

National: “Top Bidder for Tribune Newspapers Is an Influential Liberal Donor” by Kenneth Vogel and Katie Benner for New York Times

National: “Capitol Police Told to Hold Back on Riot Response on Jan. 6, Report Finds” by Luke Broadwater for New York Times

Florida: “Records Show Former Florida Tax Collector Joel Greenberg Doled Out Contracts to Politicians, Strategists Tied to Figures in State’s Political Scandals” by Jason Garcia and Annie Martin (Orlando Sentinel) for MSN

Missouri: “Missouri GOP State Lawmaker Rick Roeber Resigns Amid Allegations He Abused His Children” by Austin Huguelet (Springfield News-Leader) for Yahoo News

New York: “Cuomo, Top Aides Worked on COVID Book Alongside Publisher’s Reps at Executive Mansion” by Jon Campbell and Joseph Spector (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle) for MSN

Utah: “Utah Lawyer Calls State Bar Membership Unconstitutional” by Amanda Pampuro for Courthouse News Service

Lobbying

New York: “Andrew Yang’s Mayoral Campaign Is Being Run by a Lobbying Firm” by Jeff Colton for City & State New York

Campaign Finance

National: “Asian American Super PAC Launches Operation to Improve Understanding of Fastest-Growing Electorate” by Colby Itkowitz and Amy Wang (Washington Post) for MSN

Illinois: “Ethics Board Reduces Campaign Finance Fine Levied Against Ald. Austin From $145K to $5K” by Heather Cerone for WTTW

Massachusetts: “A Senator Donated $137,000 to the State GOP. The Party Then Spent That Same Amount Aiding His Wife’s Campaign” by Matt Stout (Boston Globe) for MSN

Elections

National: “How the Corporate Backlash to Georgia’s New Voting Law is Shaping Other Fights Around the Country Over Access to the Polls” by Amy Gardner and Mike DeBonis (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

National: “Gaetz Faces House Ethics Probe; Federal Investigation Widens” by Eric Tucker, Michael Balsamo, and Lisa Mascaro for Associated Press News

New Jersey: “Plan to Improve Legislators Financial Disclosure Now Stalled for Nearly 15 Months” by Nikita Biryukov for New Jersey Globe

New York: “Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s Government Staff Did Work on ‘Super PAC’s’ Poll” by Chris Bragg (Albany Times Union) for Finger Lakes Times

Lobbying

Europe: “UK Lobbying Scandal Snares Ex-PM Cameron; Govt Starts Probe” by Danica Kirka for Associated Press News

The Wyoming Legislature adjourned sine die on April 7 after passing an increase to lobbying fees.

House Bill 148 raises the annual registration fee from $25 to $75.

Fees for individuals receiving $500 or less in compensation increases from $5 to $10.

The bill becomes effective July 1.

National/Federal

‘A Complete Ripoff’: Campaign finance experts puzzled and stunned by Trump camp’s reported ‘money bomb’ ploy
MSN – Grace Panetta (Business Insider) | Published: 4/6/2021

Some donors who gave a few hundred dollars to former President Trump’s reelection campaign were shocked to see thousands drained from their accounts. Refund requests spiked in the final months of the campaign. A New York Times investigation detailed a recurring donation scheme reportedly referred to as “the money bomb” the Trump campaign used to pad its coffers in the final months of the campaign through the Republican fundraising platform WinRed. The payments, according to the Times, essentially functioned as an “interest-free loan” from Trump’s donors to his campaign, which faced financial turmoil in the months leading up to the November 3 election.

Corporate America Isn’t Welcoming Former Trump Cabinet Officials with Open Arms, Headhunters Say
MSN – Tory Newmyer (Washington Post) | Published: 4/7/2021

Before she joined the Trump administration as transportation secretary, Elaine Chao earned millions of dollars over the past decade by serving on the boards of big public companies such as Dole Foods and Wells Fargo. She offered sterling credentials to businesses eager to keep current with the Republican leadership, but Chao is encountering a fraught reentry into the private sector. Headhunters who have sought similarly prominent work for Chao have found little interest. While the small numbers make comparisons difficult, corporations do not seem to have an immediate interest in other top Trump administration alums either.

Corporate America Isn’t Welcoming Former Trump Cabinet Officials with Open Arms, Headhunters Say
MSN – Tory Newmyer (Washington Post) | Published: 4/5/2021

Before she joined the Trump administration as transportation secretary, Elaine Chao earned millions of dollars over the past decade by serving on the boards of big public companies such as Dole Foods and Wells Fargo. She offered sterling credentials to businesses eager to keep current with the Republican leadership, but Chao is encountering a fraught reentry into the private sector. Headhunters who have sought similarly prominent work for Chao have found little interest. While the small numbers make comparisons difficult, corporations do not seem to have an immediate interest in other top Trump administration alums either.

Covid Survivors Look to Turn Grief into Lobbying Clout
Politico – Alice Miranda Ollstein | Published: 4/5/2021

Activists with chronic illnesses helped save the Affordable Care Act from repeal and gun violence survivors built a movement to take on the National Rifle Association. Now, a cohort of COVID-19 survivors is working to turn their grief into political power. As President Biden pitches a multi-trillion-dollar package to shore up the country’s physical infrastructure, the new advocates, including people who lost loved ones to the virus, are focusing their grassroots lobbying on the follow-up plan Biden is expected to unveil addressing the country’s “human infrastructure.” Fresh off a round of lobbying in favor of the pandemic aid bill, recently formed groups are also launching efforts at the federal and state levels.

Democratic Firm Aims to Diversify Consultant Class
Politico – James Arkin | Published: 4/5/2021

A major Democratic consulting firm is building a new public affairs practice and launching a paid fellowship program intended to increase diversity in the party’s consultant class. Left Hook, a firm that works with major congressional candidates and committees, is launching the fellowship program this fall and bringing on a new veteran campaign operative to run a public affairs division. The effort is part of a long-term goal to increase the diversity in their own ranks in the hopes of pushing the party to further develop talent pipelines for women and people of color.

Former Trump HUD Official Fined, Barred from Government Employment
Politico – Katy O’Donnell | Published: 4/6/2021

A federal watchdog fined former Trump housing official Lynne Patton $1,000 and barred her from federal employment for four years after she violated a law prohibiting executive branch employees from engaging in political activities while on duty. The U.S. Office of Special Counsel penalized Patton, who served as Housing and Urban Development regional administrator for New York and New Jersey, over a video she produced with New York City Housing Authority residents to air at the 2020 Republican National Convention.

Gaetz Is Said to Have Boasted of His ‘Access to Women’ Provided by Friend Charged in Sex-Trafficking Case
MSN – Michael Scherer and Matt Zapotosky (Washington Post) | Published: 4/2/2021

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz repeatedly boasted to people involved in Florida politics about women he met through a county tax collector who has since been charged by federal authorities with sex trafficking of a minor, according to two people who heard his comments directly. They said Gatetz also showed them videos on his phone of naked or topless women on multiple occasions, including at parties with Joel Greenberg, the former tax collector for Seminole County. The Justice Department is investigating whether Gaetz paid for sex with women in violation of federal sex-trafficking laws.

Gaetz Reported to Have Sought a ‘Blanket’ Pardon from Trump
Politico – Benjamin Dinn and Matt Dixon | Published: 4/6/2021

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz allegedly sought a “blanket” presidential pardon from Donald Trump in the closing weeks of his administration, a request which was ultimately not fulfilled. The request for a blanket preemptive pardon for Gaetz and unidentified congressional allies, came as the Justice Department was opening an investigation into whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for her to travel across state lines.

Honduras Hired Elite D.C. Law Firm in Failed Lobbying Effort to Derail ‘State-Sponsored Drug Trafficking Probe’ of President’s Brother
MSN – Spencer Hsu (Washington Post) | Published: 4/1/2021

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández’s government retained an influential Washington, D.C. law firm to lobby U.S. prosecutors to call off a “state-sponsored drug trafficking” probe of his brother, who was sentenced recently for smuggling 185 tons of cocaine into the United States. Prosecutors cited the failed September 2019 influence campaign by Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, along with the murder of four people linked to the investigation, in urging stiff punishment for Juan Antonio Hernández, who is also a former Honduran lawmaker.

New Labor Secretary’s Ex-Boston Aides Line Up to Lobby in D.C.
Bloomberg Law – Ben Penn | Published: 4/6/2021

Three former senior aides who served under Labor Secretary Marty Walsh when he was Boston’s mayor are now lobbyists seeking to promote business interests in matters facing the U.S. Labor Department. Such career pivots are common in Washington, where businesses prize individuals who have working relationships with policymakers. There is no indication the trio of former staffers will have an easier time than any other company or union representative in gaining access to the new secretary. But the Walsh acolytes’ shift to labor lobbying highlights the business community’s desire to tap into the new secretary’s penchant for pragmatism and receptiveness to employer concerns despite his roots in organized labor.

Republicans Ramp Up Attacks on Corporations Over Georgia Voting Law, Threaten ‘Consequences’
MSN – Marianna Sotomayor and Todd Frankel (Washington Post) | Published: 4/5/2021

Republicans are attacking corporations over their decision to condemn the controversial Georgia voting law, part of the party’s embrace of the populism espoused by former President Trump even as it creates tensions with traditional allies in the business community. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell accused corporations of siding with Democrats’ portrayal of the law as the new Jim Crow. His statement included a threat of unspecified “serious consequences” if companies continued to stand opposite Republicans on a variety of issues. The acrimony underscores the party’s increasingly fraying relationship with corporate America over social and cultural issues.

Sen. Ted Cruz Illegally Promoted His Book with Campaign Funds, Watchdog Alleges in Ethics Complaints
CNBC – Kevin Breuninger | Published: 4/7/2021

The Campaign Legal Center (CLC) alleges U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz violated campaign finance rules by using donor funds to promote his book. The CLC accused Cruz’s campaign committee of spending up to $18,000 in late 2020 on Facebook advertisements that “exclusively” urged viewers to buy copies of the senator’s book. Those ads included links to buy the book from third-party online booksellers, said the CLC. “Because Cruz receives royalties from book sales, his campaign crossed a legal line by spending donor funds on Facebook ads promoting sales of that book,” said Brendan Fischer, CLC director of federal reform.

The Battle for Tribune: Inside the campaign to find new owners for a legendary group of newspapers
MSN – Elahe Izade and Sarah Ellison (Washington Post) | Published: 4/5/2021

Last year, as a group of Baltimore Sun reporters embarked on a quest to find a new owner that could save their paper from a hedge-fund takeover, Ted Venetoulis, a former Baltimore County executive, launched the Save Our Sun campaign. It would eventually inspire a national effort to keep nearly a dozen newspapers owned by the same chain from being bought by Alden Global Capital, a hedge fund with a singular reputation for gutting newsrooms. Although millionaires and political insiders were crucial to the rescue plan, so too were the reporters who work at the threatened papers.

White House Meets Little Resistance in Hiring Former Lobbyists
The Hill – Alex Gangitano | Published: 4/6/2021

Alethea Predeoux, a former lobbyist for the American Federation of Government Employees, and Charanya Krishnaswami, who lobbied for Amnesty International, received ethics waivers to join the Biden administration. The moves come after President Biden signed an executive order placing restrictions on all former registered lobbyists working in the administration, drawing praise from advocacy groups. Some of those same organizations have taken no issue with the recent waivers. Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said: “Public interest lobbyists are generally not an issue. The issue is corporate lobbyists who could … skew hundreds of billions of dollars to their former industry.”

From the States and Municipalities

Alabama – Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill Admits Affair, Won’t Run for U.S. Senate: ‘There’s no excuse’
AL.com – Connor Sheets and Kyle Whitmore | Published: 4/7/2021

After initially denying reports of an extramarital affair, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill admitted he had “an inappropriate relationship” with a legal assistant and will not make an anticipated run for the U.S. Senate. The revelations threw a wrench into the race to replace Sen. Richard Shelby, who is retiring. While campaigning for secretary of state, rumors that Merrill had a consensual encounter with a married woman in 2010 circulated. The allegation did little to stymie Merrill’s political aspirations, which continued with his 2019 campaign for U.S. Senate, where he was one of five GOP candidates hoping to unseat incumbent Democrat Doug Jones. In that campaign, Merrill made headlines for his comments about family values.

California – Carlsbad Approves Campaign Contribution Limits
San Diego Union Tribune – Phil Diehl | Published: 4/7/2021

Carlsbad lowered the limits on individual campaign contributions in a compromise that some city council members said was an effort to level the playing field for local candidates. Instead of using California’s default limit of $4,900 per donor, the council voted to set the maximum at $900 for council district elections and $3,100 for the mayoral and other citywide elected offices. The council also added a $10,000 cap on personal campaign loans.

California – How GOP Used Misinformation, Partisan News Sites to Flip California House Seats
CalMatters – Freddie Brewster and Katie Licari | Published: 3/26/2021

Last fall, Republicans flipped four congressional seats in California previously held by Democrats. Although the races varied in their rhetoric, they had one thing in common: the National Republican Congressional Committee targeted all four Democratic candidates in dossiers posted publicly that were filled with information, some of it false, used by some candidates for negative campaigning. The misinformation in turn was amplified not only on social media but by a handful of upstart conservative partisan news outlets.

Connecticut – Jon Lender: $20,000 ethics fine paid two years after being levied on former UConn official, who awarded her husband a $53,000 fellowship
MSN – Jon Lender (Hartford Courant) | Published: 4/2/2021

Former University of Connecticut graduate school diversity officer Charmane Thurmand, who was found by state ethics officials to have improperly given her husband a $53,000 fellowship, paid a $20,000 fine two years after it was levied, finally ending a contentious case. In March 2019, The Citizen’s Ethics Advisory Board ordered Thurmand to pay the maximum $10,000 fine for each of two violations it found she had committed three years earlier. The Office of State Ethics filed an enforcement action with the help of the state attorney general’s office to collect the money.

Florida – Ethics Questions Raised About Developer Tapped for Riviera’s $300M Marina Project
MSN – Tony Doris (Palm Beach Post) | Published: 4/5/2021

Turning Riviera Beach’s waterfront into a municipal centerpiece has been a challenge for city officials and most of the construction has yet to materialize. As negotiators and Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) staff work behind the scenes, a new challenge has arisen for the city council members, who sit as the CRA board of directors. A series of articles cast one of the main developers, Vaughn Irons, in an unfavorable light. The stories focus on Irons allegedly presenting a document purporting to be from the DeKalb County Ethics Board that found it would not be a conflict for him to win a $1.5 million county contract while serving as chair of the county’s Economic Development Authority. The Ethics Board said it never issued that opinion.

Florida – Former Boca Raton Mayor Susan Haynie Pleads Guilty to Misusing Office; Corruption Felonies Dropped
South Florida Sun Sentinel – Marc Freeman | Published: 4/1/2021

Former Boca Raton Mayor Susan Haynie pleaded guilty to charges arising out of a public corruption case that ended her long political career. With her plea deal, she shook off all four felony corruption counts. Haynie no longer stands accused of concealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in income, including money from prominent city developers. She pleaded guilty to misuse of public office and failure to disclose a voting conflict, and received 122 months on probation.

Florida – Who Is Lobbying to Change Florida’s Privacy Laws? That’s Private
Politico – Matt Dixon | Published: 4/1/2021

A mysterious group is the driving lobbying force behind legislation that would beef up Florida’s data privacy laws. It has hired a Tallahassee-based lobbying team and spent $300,000 in political contributions, but almost no one, including the sponsors of the bills, has any idea who is behind the group. The organization, Propel Florida, is a nonprofit that is not required to disclose its donors, lists a UPS box in Lithia as its only address and was incorporated last April. But over the first half of the 2021 legislative session, the group has flexed its political muscle.

Georgia – Georgia’s Republican Party Accused of Illegally Accepting In-Kind Contributions from an Election Integrity Nonprofit in a New FEC Complaint
Yahoo News – Grace Panetta (Business Insider) | Published: 3/31/2021

Two watchdog groups filed a complaint with the FEC accusing the Georgia Republican Party of illegally accepting in-kind contributions from True the Vote, a nonprofit that engaged in election-related activities around Georgia’s U.S. Senate runoffs., and not properly reporting them. The FEC defines in-kind contributions as a “non-monetary contribution” to benefit a campaign or committee. Federal law bans corporations (including both for-profit and non-profit organizations) from making such contributions to candidates or party committees or coordinating with them.

Georgia – MLB All-Star Game Yanked from Georgia Over Voting Law
Associated Press News – Ronald Blume | Published: 4/2/2021

Atlanta lost Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game over the league’s objections to sweeping changes to Georgia voting laws that critics, including the chief executive officers of Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines and Coca-Cola, have condemned as being too restrictive. Gov. Brian Kemp has insisted the law’s critics have mischaracterized what it does, yet GOP lawmakers adopted the changes largely in response to false claims of fraud in the 2020 elections by former President Trump and his supporters. The law includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run.

Illinois – Feds Put Spotlight on Cook County Commissioner Luis Arroyo Jr. in Sprawling Corruption Probe
WBEZ – Tony Arnold | Published: 4/7/2021

A sitting Cook County commissioner is now under the federal microscope as part of a sprawling federal corruption investigation into lobbyists and politicians in Illinois. The latest elected official to face scrutiny is Cook County Commissioner Luis Arroyo Jr. Federal prosecutors issued a subpoena earlier this year to the Illinois Department of Revenue. The subpoena requested the agency release tax returns for Arroyo, his lobbying firm, and his wife. In 2019, Arroyo filed paperwork to lobby the Illinois Legislature while his father was a member. It is not illegal to lobby one government body while serving as an elected official in another, but state lawmakers are considering banning the practice.

Illinois – Illinois House Hears Ethics Proposals, Including ‘Revolving Door’ Prohibition for Lawmakers
The Center Square – Greg Bishop | Published: 4/5/2021

Lawmakers in an Illinois House committee are picking up on things the previous General Assembly attempted to address but was sidetracked last year by COVID-19. Stories boiled over throughout 2019 about corruption at the statehouse. They include a lawmaker wearing a wire catching another legislator in an alleged bribe, to other officials having their offices raided by federal investigators. The Ethics and Elections Committee heard about several ideas to address the problem.

Illinois – No Limit? Republican Gary Rabine Ups the Ante in High-Stakes Governor’s Race
Chicago Sun-Times – Andrew Sullander | Published: 4/5/2021

Four years after the Illinois race for governor broke national records for self-financing candidates, next year’s contest is shaping up to be another duel of the deep pockets. Businessperson Gary Rabine notified state election officials he had donated enough of his own cash to his gubernatorial campaign to lift all fundraising caps on the race.

Iowa – Iowa Democrat Drops Attempt to Contest House Race, Citing ‘Toxic Campaign of Political Disinformation’
MSN – Marianna Sotomayer (Washington Post) | Published: 3/31/2021

Democrat Rita Hart dropped her challenge in the Iowa Second Congressional District race, asking the House to no longer consider an investigation into the outcome of her race against Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks following intense Republican pushback. Miller-Meeks was declared the winner over Hart following a recount with a difference of just six votes out of 400,000 cast. Hart alleges 22 legally cast ballots were not considered during the initial November canvass and subsequent recount, resulting in the tightest congressional electoral outcome in modern history.

Kentucky – Democratic Governor in Deep-Red Kentucky Signs Bill to Expand Voting, Bucking National Trend
MSN – Tim Elfrink (Washington Post) | Published: 4/8/2021

As Republicans from Georgia to Texas have pushed bills to restrict voting after President Trump’s loss, a markedly different story played out in deep-red Kentucky. The Bluegrass State’s GOP-dominated Legislature instead passed a bipartisan bill to expand access to the ballot box. Kentucky’s Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, signed the measure, which mandates three days of no-excuse early voting, drop-boxes in every county, and an online portal to register absentee, among other changes.

Michigan – Dominion Says Ex-Michigan State Senator’s Election Fraud Claims ‘Successfully Duped Thousands of People’
MSN – Katie Shepherd (Washington Post) | Published: 4/5/2021

For months, former Michigan Sen. Patrick Colbeck has repeated baseless claims about mass fraud in the presidential election to state senators and pro-Trump crowds, falsely insinuating that rigged voting machines and bogus ballots swayed the results. Now, Colbeck is the latest target in Dominion Voting Systems’ legal battle to combat claims by Republican allies of former President Trump the company says have damaged its reputation. Dominion demanded Colbeck retract his “demonstrably false claims” about the 2020 election results.

Montana – Montana House Rejects Bill Calling Media ‘Slander Machines’
Associated Press News – Iris Samuels | Published: 4/7/2021

The Montana House narrowly rejected a measure that sought to prevent media outlets from reporting on news that lawmakers deem defamatory. The Stop Guilt by Accusation Act closely resembles bills introduced in at least four other states. None have been signed into law. Supporters of the measure said it was not meant to silence the media, but to ensure that reporting on public figures does not stray from the truth. Opponents said they wished to protect the public debate fostered by a free media.

New Mexico – Redistricting Bill One of 50 Signed into Law Tuesday by Lujan Grisham
Yahoo News – Robert Knott | Published: 4/7/2021

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill that will create an independent, seven-member commission to redraw election district boundaries later this year, a victory for good-government advocates who say the maps too often are influenced by state politicians’ self-interest. Commissioners will be chosen no later than July 1 and have up to four months to come up with a plan using Census Bureau data. The coronavirus pandemic has led to a delay in the release of that information, which is estimated to be made public in September. The Legislature will then convene a special session to choose the final plans.

New York – New York Attorney General Probes Finances of Key Trump Aide
MSN – David Fahrenthold and Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) | Published: 4/1/2021

The New York attorney general has gathered personal financial records of the Trump Organization’s longtime chief financial officer and his family, another sign of legal pressure on one of former President Trump’s closest aides. Allen Weisselberg has handled Trump’s finances for decades, rising to become the company’s most powerful person not named “Trump.” In complex investigations, prosecutors often seek evidence of wrongdoing by subordinates to pressure them to reveal damaging information about their bosses. The pressure by both offices being brought to bear on Weisselberg appears designed to pursue that strategy against Trump.

North Carolina – Bar Lobbyists from UNC Board of Governors, a New Bill Says. 3 of Them Are Members Now.
MSN – Lucille Sherman and Kate Murphy (Raleigh News and Observer) | Published: 4/5/2021

A bill would bar the Legislature from appointing lobbyists to the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors. Senate Bill 546 would cut off one way some lawmakers influence the state’s higher education system by appointing close allies and donors. The bill would prevent lobbyists from trying to balance the interests of the system with those of clients who want certain legislation passed and lawmakers whose support they need to bring those bills across the finish line. Some lobbyists with big-name clients also have the power to direct campaign money to legislators, said watchdog Bob Hall.

North Dakota – Citing Too Much Paperwork, North Dakota Lawmakers Sink Bills to Boost Campaign Finance Transparency
Inforum.com – Jeremy Turley | Published: 4/6/2021

North Dakota senators defeated two bills that would have required political donors to disclose where their money is going, citing a likely increase in the amount of paperwork expected of partisan groups that help elect lawmakers. Candidates and political committees are not legally compelled in North Dakota to detail which campaigns they are supporting or opposing with donations. A bipartisan group of lawmakers set out to change that after Gov. Doug Burgum bankrolled millions of hard-to-track dollars in political advertising for and against candidates during last year’s election cycle.

Ohio – Bill Seeks to End ‘Dark Money’ Spending in Ohio Elections
The Courier – Tyler Buchanan (Ohio Capital Journal) | Published: 4/6/2021

Republican lawmakers are proposing to revamp some of Ohio’s campaign finance laws that would shine a light on “dark money” groups. Public officials from both parties have called for reforms in the wake of the House Bill 6 scandal, which saw the speaker of the state House arrested, as well as widespread attention paid to how certain groups navigate campaign finance and tax laws to anonymously influence election results.

Ohio – Columbus Zoo Investigation: CEO used zoo money personally, failed to bid construction project at The Wilds
MSN – Alissa Widman Reese | Published: 4/6/2021

Former Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Chief Executive Officer Tom Stalf used zoo funds to purchase a recreational vehicle for his exclusive use and used it for a family trip, according to an investigation by a law firm hired by the zoo’s board of directors. Stalf also personally selected the vendor for a $2 million construction project and did not seek competitive bidding. The findings are among the new revelations detailed in the zoo’s first public update on the case. Staif and former Chief Financial Officer Greg Bell resigned after it was reported they used zoo assets personally and for the benefit of their families.

Ohio – Ohio Elections Complaint Seeks Campaign Spending Details from Householder-Aligned Candidate
MSN – Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 4/7/2021

A conservative activist issued subpoenas as part of a state elections case he filed against a former state legislative candidate aligned with then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder. Chris Hicks is hoping to uncover information about campaign spending for Allen Freeman, who in May 2020 finished last in a Republican primary for a state House seat. The Ohio Elections Commission authorized Hicks’ complaint for a full hearing, which gives him power to subpoena records and, in some instances, compel people to answer questions in writing.

Texas – What’s Inside Texas’s Move to Overhaul Voting Rules
The Hill – Reid Wilson | Published: 4/7/2021

The war over voting access that has roiled Georgia is headed next to Texas, where Republican legislators are working through an omnibus elections overhaul package that would dramatically change the way some voters cast a ballot in future contests. The measure has been labeled a priority by both Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who controls the state Senate. It follows on the heels of election overhauls that passed in 2017 and failed in 2019, but after a chaotic election held amid a pandemic, it aims to crack down on several practices that supporters say ran afoul of current state law.

Vermont – Anti-Bottle Bill ‘Patch Call’ Campaign Draws Fire
VTDigger.org – James Finn | Published: 4/7/2021

A campaign by a group of business lobbyists tried to thwart a bill that would reform recycling in Vermont through a “grassroots” effort. That campaign sparked confusion among lawmakers and constituents who have found themselves on the receiving end of the lobbying efforts and drawn criticism from environmentalists who say the group is being deceptive about its intentions. Vermonters for Recycling claims to be a “community organization” that “advocates for smart, reasonable and effective solutions for the effective reuse of waste materials in Vermont.” But despite the grassroots appearance, the group is run by a Boston-based lobbying firm hired by Vermont business groups that oppose House Bill 175.

Virginia – Unorthodox Republican Contest for Virginia Governor Breeds Confusion, Suspicion
MSN – Laura Vozella (Washington Post) | Published: 4/4/2021

Virginia Republicans are a month away from picking their candidate for governor – not by voters going to the ballot box, but instead by way of a byzantine internal nomination process that has bred confusion and suspicion among the party faithful. Longtime activists and newcomers are struggling to understand how to conduct and partake in the “unassembled convention,” an unorthodox format chosen by party leaders during a pandemic and a GOP family feud. As a nomination method, conventions are easier to manipulate than primaries because local party leaders control the application process, decide who is eligible to vote. and pick the convention location.

Campaign Finance

Ohio: “Ohio Elections Complaint Seeks Campaign Spending Details from Householder-Aligned Candidate” by Andrew Tobias (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN

Elections

Kentucky: “Democratic Governor in Deep-Red Kentucky Signs Bill to Expand Voting, Bucking National Trend” by Tim Elfrink (Washington Post) for MSN

Texas: “What’s Inside Texas’s Move to Overhaul Voting Rules” by Reid Wilson for The Hill

Ethics

National: “Corporate America Isn’t Welcoming Former Trump Cabinet Officials with Open Arms, Headhunters Say” by Tory Newmyer (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “The Battle for Tribune: Inside the campaign to find new owners for a legendary group of newspapers” by Elahe Izade and Sarah Ellison (Washington Post) for MSN

Alabama: “Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill Admits Affair, Won’t Run for U.S. Senate: ‘There’s no excuse’” by Connor Sheets and Kyle Whitmore for AL.com

Illinois: “Feds Put Spotlight on Cook County Commissioner Luis Arroyo Jr. in Sprawling Corruption Probe” by Tony Arnold for WBEZ

Lobbying

National: “New Labor Secretary’s Ex-Boston Aides Line Up to Lobby in D.C.” by Ben Penn for Bloomberg Law

Redistricting

New Mexico: “Redistricting Bill One of 50 Signed into Law Tuesday by Lujan Grisham” by Robert Knott (Santa Fe New Mexican) for Yahoo News