National/Federal

Biden Claims 9 Super Tuesday Victories, Including Texas
AP News – Steve Peoples and Will Weissert | Published: 3/4/2020

A resurgent Joe Biden scored victories from Texas to Massachusetts on Super Tuesday, revitalizing a presidential bid that was teetering on the edge of disaster just days earlier. But his rival Bernie Sanders seized the biggest prize with a win in California that ensured he would drive the Democrats’ nomination fight for the foreseeable future. And suddenly, the Democratic Party’s presidential field, which featured more than a half-dozen candidates, transformed into a two-man contest.

Bloomberg Drops Out of Presidential Race, Endorses Biden
AP News – Kathleen Ronayne and Alexandra Jaffe | Published: 3/4/2020

Michael Bloomberg ended his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden. It was a surprising collapse for the former New York City mayor, who pumped more than $500 million of his own fortune into the campaign. Bloomberg announced his departure from the race after a disappointing finish on Super Tuesday in the slate of states that account for almost one-third of the total delegates available in the Democratic nominating contest. He won only the territory of American Samoa and picked up several dozen delegates elsewhere.

Cashing in On Justice
Roll Call – Joshua Eaton, Ilana Marcus, and Ed Timms | Published: 3/3/2020

Before they put on their robes, dozens of federal judges appointed during the Trump and Obama administrations made significant campaign contributions to Senate Judiciary Committee members and their home-state senators, the very people who could make or break their nominations. Three Republican senators – Ted Cruz and John Cornyn of Texas and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina – got more money than the rest of the Judiciary Committee combined. Virtually all those contributions came from judicial nominees they ultimately backed. Home-state senators who have not served on the panel also wield considerable influence on who becomes a federal judge. They have received significant contributions from donors who ended up on the bench.

Inspector General to Probe Whether VA Chief Robert Wilkie Tried to Discredit Woman Who Reported Sex Assault
Fayetteville Observer – Lisa Rein (Washington Post) | Published: 2/28/2020

The Veterans Affairs Department’s inspector general has opened an investigation into allegations that Secretary Robert Wilkie tried to dig up dirt on an aide to a top Democrat in Congress after she said she was sexually assaulted at the agency’s Washington, D.C. hospital. Inspector General Michael Missal, after a preliminary review of Wilkie’s conduct following the woman’s report last fall, told lawmakers on Capitol Hill he has decided to move forward with a full-blown inquiry. Wilkie, who previously ran the Pentagon’s personnel and readiness operation, has denied making inquiries about the woman, Andrea Goldstein.

Judge Says Ken Cuccinelli Was Appointed Unlawfully to Top Immigration Post
National Public Radio – James Doubek | Published: 3/1/2020

A federal judge ruled Ken Cuccinelli’s appointment to a top immigration position in the Trump administration was unlawful, saying several directives issued by Cuccinelli to tighten asylum rules must now be “set aside.” U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss said the administration violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act when it tapped Cuccinelli in June 2019 to lead U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency within the Department of Homeland Security that oversees legal immigration into the country. The ruling invalidated a pair of directives issued by Cuccinelli, an immigration hardliner and the former attorney general of Virginia, that introduced new restrictions on the asylum process.

Klobuchar Is Ending Her Presidential Bid, Will Endorse Biden
AP News – Sara Burnett | Published: 3/2/2020

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar ended her Democratic presidential campaign and endorsed Joe Biden in an effort to unify moderate voters behind the former vice president’s White House bid. Klobuchar outlasted several better-known and better-funded Democrats, thanks to a better-than-expected third-place finish in in New Hampshire. But she could not turn that into success elsewhere, as she struggled to build out a campaign that could compete across the country and had poor showings in the next contests. Klobuchar could not match her top competitors in fundraising. The lack of finances early on in the campaign meant she was not able to expand her operation on the ground in Iowa and New Hampshire until months after her rivals.

Pete Buttigieg Is Ending His Presidential Bid
MSN – Chelsea Janes and Amy Wang (Washington Post) | Published: 3/1/2020

Pete Buttigieg, the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who rose from virtual unknown to top-tier Democratic contender and became the first openly gay candidate to make a high-profile presidential run, ended his campaign as he confronted the reality that his prospects of victory had all but collapsed. Buttigieg struggled to win support from black voters, a key pillar of the Democratic coalition and a vulnerability that was emphasized in South Carolina, where he finished fourth in the primary. Buttigieg’s departure may help add some clarity to a Democratic presidential field that at one point included more than two dozen candidates but has dwindled to just a handful.

Rep. Matt Gaetz Wore Gas Mask While House Voted on Coronavirus Response Bill
USA Today – Savannah Behrmann | Published: 3/4/2020

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz wore a gas mask on the House floor while the chamber voted on a coronavirus funding bill. It was not clear whether Gaetz was wearing the gas mask to troll those panicking over the outbreak, as multiple health organizations have repeatedly stated not to wear face masks. But Gaetz, one of President Trump’s staunchest supporters on Capitol Hill, reportedly told journalists that he believes “members of Congress are human petri dishes.”

Sanders’s Rise Unnerves K Street
The Hill – Alex Gangitano | Published: 2/28/2020

The rise of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary is unnerving K Street lobbyists and their clients. The self-described democratic socialist, who has touted an ambitious agenda to rein in special interests and corporations, has been gaining in the polls and is the Democratic frontrunner after wins in two primary states. While there is a long road ahead in the 2020 election, the senator’s new status is provoking sharp reactions on K Street, where lobbyists say clients are already asking about the fallout of a Sanders nomination, and maybe even presidency. Sanders has vowed to shake up how the influence world does business, with proposals to ban donations from federal lobbyists and corporations and to prohibit the corporate funding of party conventions.

Senate Breaks Tradition by Advancing Only GOP FEC Nominee
Bloomberg Government – Kenneth Doyle | Published: 3/4/2020

Senate Republicans are set to advance a Republican nominee to the FEC, which would restore a working quorum to the agency but break with a tradition of confirming nominees in bipartisan pairs. The Rules and Administration Committee announced it will hold a confirmation hearing March 10 on President Trump’s nomination of James Trainor, an election lawyer from Austin, Texas, who advised Trump’s 2016 campaign. If the committee approves him, Trainor could be confirmed by a simple majority vote in the Senate. Senate Democrats have recommended Shana Broussard, an FEC staff attorney, for a Democratic commission vacancy, but Trump has not nominated her.

Trump Signs Bill to Strengthen Presidential Transition Ethics Requirements
Government Executive – Courtney Buble | Published: 3/4/2020

President Trump signed into law a bill to clarify the General Services Administration’s (GSA) responsibilities during changes in presidential administrations as well as require presidential candidates to publicly release ethics plans for their transitions before elections. The GSA, presidential transition teams, and federal agencies will now have new obligations in the lead-up to Election Day and during the ensuing change in administrations. The law requires presidential candidates to create and release an ethics plan for their transition team prior to the election. The plans must indicate if there are any current or former lobbyists on the teams, disclose conflicts-of-interest for the candidate and team members, and include a code of ethics that all members must sign.

Trump Wins Bid to Block McGahn Testimony Sought by House Democrats
Reuters – Jan Wolfe and Lawrence Hurley | Published: 2/29/2020

A divided three-judge panel handed President Trump a victory by dismissing a congressional panel’s lawsuit seeking to enforce a subpoena for testimony from former White House Counsel Donald McGahn. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit endorsed the Trump administration’s argument that the court had no place in settling the dispute between the executive and legislative branches. In doing so, it appeared to endorse an expansive view of presidential powers and prerogatives. The panel overturned a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson that the House Judiciary Committee’s subpoena to McGahn was lawful. In that ruling, Jackson declared “no one is above the law.”

Union Lobbying Question Confounds at 1st Circuit
Courthouse News Service – Thomas Harrison | Published: 3/4/2020

The U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals appeared conflicted as to whether private-sector unions can ever force members to subsidize lobbying. Appearing skeptical of the National Labor Relations Board’s holding that lobbying is not germane to a union’s legal duty to represent workers, Judge Bruce Selya emphasized in oral arguments that “lobbying activity is not monolithic.” But when the court then tried to come up with a rule as to what specific types of lobbying were germane, it struggled.

Warren Ends 2020 Presidential Bid after Super Tuesday Rout
AP News – Will Weissert | Published: 3/5/2020

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who electrified progressives with her “plan for everything” and strong message of economic populism, dropped out of the Democratic presidential race. The exit came days after the onetime front-runner could not win a single Super Tuesday state, not even Massachusetts.  For much of the past year, Warren’s campaign had all the markers of success, robust poll numbers, impressive fundraising, and a political infrastructure that featured staffers on the ground across the country. She was squeezed out, though, by Bernie Sanders, who had an immovable base of voters she needed to advance. Warren never finished higher than third in the first four states and was routed on Super Tuesday.

Canada

Canada – Senate Votes to Suspend Lynn Beyak Again Despite Her Apology for Posting Offensive Letters on Website
Edmonton Journal – Canadian Press | Published: 2/27/2020

The Senate has voted to suspend Lynn Beyak a second time over derogatory letters about Indigenous Peoples posted on her website. Senators approved a report from the upper house’s ethics committee, which recommended Beyak be suspended without pay for the duration of the current parliamentary session. Beyak, a senator from Ontario appointed in 2013, was kicked out of the Conservative caucus and eventually suspended without pay last May after refusing to remove the offensive letters from her website. She apologized recently, after which some of her Conservative colleagues tried unsuccessfully to refer the matter back to the ethics committee. But Independent senators took the position that Beyak needed to be suspended again while undergoing anti-racism training and that the matter could be revisited after that.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – Alaska House’s Minority Republicans Put Controversial Wasilla Representative on Probation
Anchorage Daily News – James Brooks | Published: 3/4/2020

The Republican minority in the Alaska House will temporarily remove Rep. David Eastman from legislative committees for disrupting the work of fellow members and delaying legislative action in order to draw public attention. House Minority Leader Lance Pruitt said the action is a one-month “pause” that is a step short of ejecting Eastman from the caucus. While Eastman has a reputation as an iconoclast willing to challenge established norms, members of the GOP said two recent actions stood out and prompted the action.

Arizona – Agriculture Industry Lobbyist Out of Job Amid Ethics Investigation into Arizona Lawmaker
Arizona Republic – Andrew Oxford | Published: 3/5/2020

An agricultural trade association said it no longer employs a lobbyist at the center of an ethics investigation into alleged conflicts-of-interest at the Arizona Legislature. The House is looking into two complaints regarding state Rep. David Cook. The first involves an allegation he carried on a romantic relationship with the lobbyist, AnnaMarie Knorr. Another complaint alleges Cook intervened to stop the local sheriff from seizing property from her family’s farming business to pay for back taxes. Knorr worked for the Western Growers Association. When intimate letters from Cook to Knorr emerged in January, the group said it had placed her on administrative leave and was probing allegations of professional misconduct. The association recently said Knorr is no longer its lobbyist.

Arizona – Lobbyists Navigate Lawmakers’ Bad Behavior, Professional Relationships
Arizona Capitol Times – Julia Shumway and Andrew Nicla | Published: 2/28/2020

At the Arizona Capitol, where relationships are everything and the caprice of a single lawmaker can derail months of policy work, lobbyists must balance representing clients and fighting for policy positions with the costs of not calling out bad behavior. And as women at the Capitol and across the country grow more empowered to speak out about behavior that would have been ignored in years past, some male lawmakers have responded by doubling down on a boys’ club mentality, granting greater access to male lobbyists than their female counterparts out of a stated wish to avoid even a whiff of impropriety. In some instances, lobbyist Tory Roberg said, lobbying for issues she cares about means putting up with a lot in the hopes that it will someday get a bill across the finish line.

Arkansas – Election Funding Law’s Hold to Resume
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette – Linda Satter | Published: 3/4/2020

In June, U.S. District Court Judge James Moody Jr. issued a preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of a law that prohibits campaign contributions more than two years before an election, in response to a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality. Moody then agreed to stay the injunction, keeping the law in effect, while the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals considered the appeal. The Eighth Circuit affirmed the injunction in January, leading the plaintiffs’ attorney to ask Moody to lift the stay and make the law unenforceable again. Moody lifted the stay on March 3, again enjoining the state from enforcing the law while the lawsuit is pending.

California – Legislators’ Charity Use Has Prompted Calls for Reform – But Not from the Assembly Speaker
CalMatters – Laurel Rosenhall | Published: 3/2/2020

As CalMatters reported in its series of articles, nonprofits created by individual California lawmakers or special caucuses of lawmakers are an increasingly common way to raise and spend money outside the limits of campaign finance law. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon said these affiliated nonprofits “can provide valuable resources” and he has no problem with them “if people are going about their activities ethically and with full transparency.” But even as he called for transparency, Rendon did not endorse changing any laws or rules of the Assembly, nor did he call on his members to change their conduct.

California – Sacramento Mayor Steinberg Recruiting Ownership Group in Effort to Buy Sacramento Bee
Sacramento Bee – Ryan Lillis | Published: 3/4/2020

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg is working to form a local ownership group that could purchase The Sacramento Bee, separating the 163-year-old publication from its parent company and more than two-dozen sister newspapers across the U.S. The Bee’s current owner, McClatchy Co., is moving through Chapter 11 bankruptcy to restructure its debt. If the restructuring plan is approved by a judge, the likely owner of The Bee and 29 other publications would be Chatham Asset Management, a New Jersey-based hedge fund. “Are we better off in any way if we lose one of the most important voices for independent journalism? The answer is obviously no, and so it’s my job to rally and to organize and to help bring forward some real ideas that might … save the day,” Steinberg said.

California – SF Corruption Investigation Yields 14 New Subpoenas Served as Nuru Probe Widens
San Francisco Chronicle – Dominick Fracassa | Published: 2/27/2020

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera issued a flurry of subpoenas in a widening public corruption investigation started after former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru’s recent arrest on fraud charges. Herrera’s office issued 14 subpoenas to firms with ties to either Walter Wong, a San Francisco building permit consultant, or Zhang Li, a billionaire real estate developer from China. FBI agents raided Wong’s offices on the same day that Nuru and restaurateur Nick Bovis were arrested. Federal officials have alleged Nuru accepted a trip to China and gifts, including a $2,070 bottle of wine, from a billionaire Chinese developer in exchange for help with a development deal. The San Francisco Chronicle has previously reported Zhang was the billionaire developer referenced anonymously in the federal complaint against Nuru and Bovis.

Florida – Florida Sues Nonprofit and Its Former CEO Who Was Paid $7.5M
Tampa Bay Times – Mary Ellen Klas and Samantha Gross | Published: 3/4/2020

The Department of Children and Families filed a lawsuit against the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence (FCADV) as ongoing investigations reveal millions of dollars were funneled into bonuses for the nonprofit’s staff. Since 2003, the coalition has managed about $52 million annually as the single state clearinghouse for 42 domestic violence centers. The suit accuses the FCADV of misrepresenting how state and federal funds were used to pay its former chief executive officer, Tiffany Carr, more than $7.5 million over three years. The investigations show a small group of members of the coalition’s board, as appointed by Carr, operated as the compensation committee and allowed Carr to claim she had a brain tumor while she padded her compensation and produced no evidence of a medical condition.

Florida – Florida’s CFO Called Lobbyist Before Suspending State Banking Regulator, Records Show
Tampa Bay Times – Lawrence Mower | Published: 2/28/2020

Records show Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis made multiple phone calls to a Tallahassee lobbyist on the day he illegally released a woman’s sexual harassment complaint, raising fresh questions about last year’s ouster of the state’s banking regulator. Patronis faces a criminal investigation by the Leon County State Attorney’s Office for disclosing the sexual harassment complaint against the regulator, Ronald Rubin. An ethics complaint has also been filed against Patronis for disclosing another complaint. Rubin sued Patronis last year, accusing him and lobbyist Paul Mitchell, who represents financial companies that work with Patronis’ office, of fabricating the woman’s complaint against him. Phone records show Mitchell and Patronis were in close contact before the complaint against Rubin was made public.

Florida – Former Tallahassee Ethics Officer Julie Meadows-Keefe Lands Job with Firm Handling Her Lawsuit Against City
Tallahassee Democrat – Jeff Burlew | Published: 3/2/2020

Tallahassee’s former independent ethics officer, who exited her post amid acrimony, has been hired by the same firm representing her in her lawsuit against City Hall. Meadows-Keefe, who served more than five years as the city’s first ethics officer, recently announced on social media she has accepted a position as an attorney with the Mattox Law Firm. Last year, Meadows-Keefe said she would step down following controversy over a personal relationship she had with a top appointed official. She later sued the city, saying she was forced out, and the Ethics Board, which she said did nothing to stop it.

Florida – Parks Chief Sold Jerseys from His Company to City Football Team. Now He’s on Leave
Miami Herald – Aaron Leibowitz | Published: 3/4/2020

North Miami’s parks and recreation director was not disciplined last year after a police investigation found he had committed ethics violations by selling jerseys from his personal company to a city-funded football team. But now, after the details were exposed at a city council meeting, Derrick Corker has been placed on paid administrative leave. Parents and officials involved in the North Miami Jaguars football and cheer program complained that Corker inserted himself in a bid process for new uniforms after the team was asked to change its name from the Redskins, which is a slur for Native Americans, to the Jaguars.

Illinois – 3 Illinois Racing Board Members Forced Out Over Campaign Contributions They Made in Violation of 2019 Gaming Law
Chicago Tribune – Dan Petrella | Published: 2/28/2020

Three members of the state board that oversees the Illinois horse racing industry were forced out after making campaign contributions that are prohibited under the major gambling expansion legislation Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law last summer. Illinois Racing Board Chairperson Jeffrey Brincat and commissioners Greg Sronce and Edgar Ramirez resigned at the governor’s request. The resignations come after the previous chair of the Illinois Gaming Board, which oversees the casino and video gambling industries, resigned over political contributions. Gaming board members have long been prohibited from engaging in political activity.

Illinois – Joe Berrios Must Pay $168,000 in Fines after Cook County Judge Dismisses His Complaint Against Ethics Board
Chicago Tribune – Gregory Pratt | Published: 2/27/2020

Former Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios and his political committees must pay $168,000 in fines after a judge dismissed his complaints challenging the county Ethics Board’s findings and ability to sanction him. The board previously fined Berrios, the Committee to Elect Joseph Berrios Cook County Assessor, and his 31st Ward Democratic Organization for accepting campaign contributions in excess of legal limits. At the center of the ethics board’s rulings was a 2016 county ordinance stating that donors who seek “official action” with the county may contribute no more than $750 in nonelection years. Attorneys for Berrios sought to overturn the rulings, arguing the county limits are unconstitutional and higher limits set by state law should apply, among other objections.

Iowa – State of Iowa Signs $50 Million Computing Contract Without Typical Competitive Bidding
Cedar Rapids Gazette – Erin Jordan | Published: 2/28/2020

In signing a $50 million contract for a new cloud-based computer system, Iowa sidestepped traditional competitive bidding procedures and chose Workday, a company with little state government experience whose lobbyist is Gov. Kim Reynolds’ former chief of staff. What concerns some lawmakers is the way the state chose Workday. Instead of seeking proposals from multiple companies to see which best met Iowa’s needs and was most affordable, state officials chose a generic contract that Workday had signed in 2015 with a for-profit procurement organization in Texas. A company spokesperson said Jake Ketzner, Reynolds’ chief of staff for more than a year, had no role in Workday’s contracts, but there have been further questions.

Maryland – ‘Any Means Necessary to Win’: How prosecutors say Pugh used ‘Healthy Holly’ scam in 2016 Baltimore mayor’s race
Baltimore Sun – Luke Broadwater | Published: 2/28/2020

As federal prosecutors laid out what they described as a “shocking” corruption case against former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, they ticked off a list of victims: buyers who paid for her self-published children’s books that were never printed; schoolchildren who never received copies; and the federal government, which Pugh shorted of thousands of tax dollars. But there was another victim in the background: the voters of Baltimore. That is because the “Healthy Holly scam,” as prosecutors called it, was not just a years-long self-enrichment scheme. It also was a way for Pugh to try to illegally influence an election and achieve her dream of becoming mayor, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

Michigan – Detroit Official Wooed Investment Dollars from Billionaire – Now He’s Going to Work for Him
Detroit Free Press – Joe Guillen | Published: 3/4/2020

Ryan Friedrichs, Detroit’s chief development officer who is tied to an ongoing criminal investigation into deleted government emails, is quitting his city job. Friedrichs will work for real estate mogul Stephen Ross in development of a new innovation center on the site of the aborted Wayne County jail project. Friedrichs is a central figure in the ongoing criminal investigation by the attorney general’s office concerning deleted city emails related to conflict-of-interest and preferential treatment allegations against Mayor Mike Duggan. Friedrichs was one of two officials identified who carried out orders from Duggan’s chief of staff to delete the emails, which were later recovered. Friedrichs said that his decision to leave his city job was unrelated to the controversy involving the deleted emails.

New Hampshire – Proposal Advances to Strengthen N.H. Legislature’s Conflict of Interest Rules
New Hampshire Public Radio – Josh Rogers | Published: 3/4/2020

A committee in the New Hampshire House approved a bill to require lawmakers to recuse themselves when they have a “special interest” in a bill’s outcome. The legislation spells out that lawmakers should recuse themselves when they or a member of their household have anything more at stake in the bill’s outcome than a member of the general public would. In November, the Legislative Ethics Committee found House Majority Leader Doug Ley violated ethics guidelines because of his involvement in legislation that affected the teachers union that employs him.

New York – Ethics Commissioner: Cuomo leak probe was a ‘sham’
Albany Times Union – Brendan Lyons | Published: 3/1/2020

A longtime member of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) said the state inspector general’s investigation last year into the alleged unlawful disclosure of confidential information to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was a “sham” that led him to refuse to sign a sworn statement affirming he was not responsible for the leak. Commissioner Gary Levine confirmed his decision to decline to sign the affidavit after The Albany Times Union, following a months-long Freedom of Information struggle with the inspector general’s office, was provided copies of the affidavits that had been signed by other commissioners and employees of JCOPE, affirming they were not responsible for the leak. The inspector general’s office had previously declined to identify any individuals who had declined to sign the affirmations.

New York – Ethics Office Lacks Some LIPA Lobbying Records
Huntington Now – Donna Deedy | Published: 3/4/2020

Taxpayers could save money under a New York Senate bill that prevents the Log Island Power Authority (LIPA) from collecting back taxes should the utility win its challenge to a power plant’s tax assessment. The Senate easily passed the bill during each of the last two legislative sessions. The Assembly’s companion bill has faced a different fate. Industry lobbyists have waged fierce opposition to the bill, including LIPA itself. Not all of it, though, appears to be as fully and publicly documented as state ethics laws that govern lobbying require. LIPA retained Millennial Strategies in 2019 specifically to fight the Assembly bill. But the state has no record of that activity.

Ohio – Cincinnati City Councilwoman Tamaya Dennard Resigns ‘with Great Sadness’
Cincinnati Enquirer – Sharon Coolidge and Dan Horn | Published: 3/2/2020

Cincinnati City Councilperson Tamaya Dennard resigned her office, less than a week after being arrested on federal charges that accuse her of trading votes on a development deal for cash. Dennard did not have to resign under the city’s charter, which has no provisions spelling out what happens when a council member is accused of a crime in office. Dennard is facing federal charges of bribery, wire fraud, and attempted extortion for what federal prosecutors say was an attempt to trade her votes for cash payments totaling $15,000. The votes were related to a complicated land swap and construction of a music venue at The Banks on Cincinnati’s riverfront.

Ohio – Ginther Returns State of the City Donations After Ethics Warning
Columbus Dispatch – Bill Bush | Published: 2/28/2020

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther will return $66,000 in donations, including from city vendors, that funded his State of the City address. The decision came after the Ohio Ethics Commission contacted the city attorney’s office to warn the practice could potentially violate state law. “There was a potential for a conflict-of-interest and that was an ongoing practice,” Ethics Commission Executive Director Paul Nick said. “It was a practice that we were not aware of, [and] no one had sought advice.” The city will work with the commission to clarify the process of how and under what circumstances the city solicits vendors, something that is happening in municipalities across Ohio, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said.

Rhode Island – Why A RI Supreme Court Justice Has Been Fighting a $200 Ethics Fine for Over A Year
WPRI – Eli Sherman | Published: 3/4/2020

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission in 2019 fined state Supreme Court Justice Francis Flaherty $200 for failing to disclose he was the president of a Catholic legal group while he was ruling on a priest’s sexual abuse case. Flaherty has contested the fine, claiming the violation stemmed from an unknowing mistake that resulted in a decision denying him due process. Flaherty also argues former commission Chairperson Ross Cheit should have recused himself because Cheit, a professor who specializes in repressed memory and child abuse, has written extensively on the topic, including some cases involving sexual abuse of minors and the Catholic Church. The commission noted its members do not participate in the investigation or prosecution of ethics complaints. It also refuted the implication that Cheit is biased.

South Carolina – Joe Biden Wins South Carolina Primary, Potentially Reshaping the Democratic Race
MSN – Cleve Wootson Jr. and Michael Scherer (Washington Post) | Published: 2/29/2020

Former Vice President Joe Biden decisively won the South Carolina primary, as the first Southern contest reshaped the race and dealt a blow to the candidacy of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. The win pumped new life into Biden’s struggling campaign, as he became the first candidate to score a clear-cut victory against Sanders this year. What is not clear is whether Biden’s triumph in a state supporters have long called his “firewall,” where African American voters had a significant say for the first time, will provide only a momentary lift, result in a two-person race between Biden and Sanders, or result in a long slog to the convention.

Vermont – In Bernie Sanders Country, It’s Super Tuesday. It’s Also ‘Town Meeting Day.’
New York Times – Sarah Lyall | Published: 3/4/2020

It can seem like neighbors cannot speak to neighbors of differing political persuasions without rancor and recrimination. Though Super Tuesday should theoretically offer some relief to voters eager to have their voices heard, politics itself seems suffused by alarm and dread. And so, Vermont’s annual town meetings, traditionally held on the first Tuesday in March, provide a welcome corrective. They are a chance for voters in the state’s municipalities to discuss taxes, budgets, roads, schools, the environment, and whatever else might be on their minds.

Washington – Washington Agency Rejects Facebook Settlement, Refers Campaign Ad Violation Charge to AG’s Office
Seattle Times – David Gutman | Published: 2/27/2020

The Public Disclosure Commission rejected a settlement to allow Facebook to walk away from charges of violating campaign finance law with a $75,000 fine, no admission of guilt, and no written promise to fully comply with Washington’s political ad disclosure law going forward. Commisssioners voted to refer the matter to Attorney General Bob Ferguson for further investigation and possible prosecution. The case has its roots in requests for local Facebook political ad data made by The Stranger and, separately, a private citizen. Facebook has refused to respond to those requests even though state law requires the company to disclose significant information on the financing and reach of election ads sold to influence this state’s local races and ballot measures.

Wisconsin – Day After Milwaukee Rampage, Dan Kelly Campaign Holds Fundraiser at Shooting Range
Madison.com – Riley Vetterkind | Published: 3/3/2020

A day after a gunman shot and killed five co-workers and himself at Milwaukee’s Molson Coors facility, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly’s campaign hosted a fundraiser at a shooting range. The fundraiser invited people to contribute by amounts tied to gun calibers: the “10mm” level of $1,000, the “0.25 ACP” level of $2,500, or the “50 Cal M2HB” level of $5,000. Donors had the opportunity to shoot and were advised to visit the range before the fundraiser to complete a background check.

British Columbia’s Office of the Registrar issued a guidance document for organizations last month.

This in anticipation of the changes to the province’s lobbying laws taking effect on May 4.

The guidance document provides an overview for organizations with in-house lobbyists under the Lobbyists Transparency Act.

Beginning on May 4, the time threshold for requiring in-house lobbyists to register is reduced from 100 hours to 50 hours in the preceding 12-month period.

Time spent preparing to lobby, researching and writing reports, and strategizing would be included in calculating the time threshold required for registration.

However, activities predating a decision to lobbying would “likely not be included in the calculation,” according to the published guidance.

Organizations that are not member-based or that do not have a primary purpose to promote or oppose issues may qualify for the exception.

This is only if the organizations have fewer than six employees and the lobbying activities add up to fewer than 50 hours in the preceding 12-month period.

Examples of organizations unlikely to qualify for the exemption are unions and chambers of commerce.

Presently, a new online Lobbyists Registry is in development to replace the current Lobbyists Registry.

This registry is scheduled to launch on May 4, 2020.

Campaign Finance

Illinois: “Joe Berrios Must Pay $168,000 in Fines after Cook County Judge Dismisses His Complaint Against Ethics Board” by Gregory Pratt for Chicago Tribune

Maryland: “‘Any Means Necessary to Win’: How prosecutors say Pugh used ‘Healthy Holly’ scam in 2016 Baltimore mayor’s race” by Luke Broadwater for Baltimore Sun

Elections

National: “Pete Buttigieg Is Ending His Presidential Bid” by Chelsea Janes and Amy Wang (Washington Post) for MSN

South Carolina: “Joe Biden Wins South Carolina Primary, Potentially Reshaping the Democratic Race” by Cleve Wootson Jr. and Michael Scherer (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

National: “Inspector General to Probe Whether VA Chief Robert Wilkie Tried to Discredit Woman Who Reported Sex Assault” by Lisa Rein (Washington Post) for Fayetteville Observer

New York: “Ethics Commissioner: Cuomo leak probe was a ‘sham’” by Brendan Lyons for Albany Times Union

Lobbying

National: “Sanders’s Rise Unnerves K Street” by Alex Gangitano for The Hill

Arizona: “Lobbyists Navigate Lawmakers’ Bad Behavior, Professional Relationships” by Julia Shumway and Andrew Nicla for Arizona Capitol Times

National/Federal

‘All Traitors Must Die’: Feds charge man for threatening whistleblower attorney
Politico – Natasha Bertrand | Published: 2/20/2020

Federal prosecutors in Michigan charged a man with making a death threat against one of the attorneys for a whistleblower who initiated the impeachment inquiry of President Trump. The man, Brittan Atkinson, allegedly emailed the attorney in November, calling him a “traitor” who “must die a miserable death.” The attorney, Mark Zaid, confirmed he received the email the day after Trump held up Zaid’s photo and read some of Zaid’s tweets during a rally. The indictment follows months of rhetorical salvos by the president and his allies against the whistleblower, whose purported identity has been posted on social media and even read aloud in the U.S. Senate despite federal laws that allow whistleblowers to remain anonymous.

Dressing for the Campaign Trail Can Be Tough for Female Candidates. M.M. LaFleur Is Lending Free Clothes to Ease the Burden.
Washington Post – Taylor Telford | Published: 2/19/2020

Research shows physical appearance remains a point of scrutiny for female candidates, while the looks or dress of their male peers are scarcely factored into their potential. Women running for office say they often feel pressure to look the part lest they not be taken seriously. But the expense and upkeep of a professional wardrobe can be a barrier for many. That is why workwear retailer M.M. LaFleur is offering to lend clothing to female candidates this election season. The company has received more than 550 responses from women in state, local, and federal races and an outpouring of support from customers. M.M. LaFleur is leaving the onus on candidates in local or state races to ensure the donation of clothing is acceptable under their jurisdiction’s campaign finance laws.

Environment Regulator’s Husband Listed as Lobbying Her Agency
Bloomberg Environment – Stephen Lee | Published: 2/27/2020

A disclosure form lists the husband of the general counsel of the White House Council on Environmental Quality as lobbying his wife’s employer on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the council’s top issue. Both the council and lobbying group deny any such lobbying happened. The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a proposal to speed environmental permitting for major projects recently. The proposed changes have also prompted scrutiny of the work of the council. Viktoria Seale is the agency’s general counsel. Her husband, John Seale, is director of federal affairs at the American Chemistry Council. On its lobbying disclosure form for the last quarter of 2019, the group lists NEPA among its many lobbying issues. It also lists CEQ among the agencies the group has approached, and John Seale among the individuals “who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area.”

Group Asks Congress to Investigate How Devin Nunes Is Paying for His Lawsuits
Fresno Bee – Kate Irby | Published: 2/26/2020

A watchdog group filed an ethics complaint against U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, calling for a congressional investigation into how the California Republican is paying for his lawsuits against media companies and critics. Nunes filed six lawsuits and sent two letters implying possible legal action in 2019. He has not disclosed how he is paying for the legal work, and the kind of lawsuits he is filing – alleging defamation and conspiracies against him – can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The complaint argues he would only be able to pay if he received legal services for free, at a discounted rate, or based on a contingency fee. In all those cases, the complaint says, Nunes must disclose the legal help he is receiving by filing a legal expense fund, otherwise it would represent an illegal gift given to Nunes under congressional ethics rules.

How Conservatives Learned to Wield Power Inside Facebook
MSN – Craig Timberg (Washington Post) | Published: 2/20/2020

The debate over Facebook’s “Project P,” which resulted in a few of the worst disinformation pages being removed while most others remained on the platform, exemplified the political dynamics that have reigned within the company since Donald Trump emerged as the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee in 2016. A company led mainly by Democrats repeatedly has tilted rightward to deliver policies, hiring decisions, and public gestures sought by Republicans, according to employees. These sensitivities have affected Facebook’s responses to a range of major issues, from how to address fake news and Russian manipulation of American voters to the advertising policies that have set the political ground rules for the 2020 election.

In a Historically Old Presidential Field, Candidates Refuse to Release Health Records
MSN – Matt Viser and Lenny Bernstein (Washington Post) | Published: 2/24/2020

Donald Trump became the oldest person to win the presidency in 2016 after a campaign in which he released only a letter from his doctor attesting to his “astonishingly excellent” health. Now, the contenders for the Democratic nomination are following his lead. Four of the six major Democratic candidates are 70 or older, and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders suffered a heart attack about five months ago, an episode he at first failed to disclose. But the candidates, for the most part, have declined to release full dossiers on their health, relying instead on a physician testimonial. No law requires presidents to divulge intimate medical details, and previous occupants of the White House have not always done so. But in general, presidential candidates have felt an obligation to assure voters they are physically up to the job.

Once Cold War Heroes, ‘Miracle on Ice’ Team Struggles with Backlash from Donning ‘Keep America Great’ Hats at Trump Rally
MSN – David Nakamura (Washington Post) | Published: 2/25/2020

Mike Eruzione and his teammates from the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team had not meant to make a political statement when they appeared onstage as President Trump’s surprise guests at a recent campaign rally in Las Vegas. They happened to be in town to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice” when they got a call from Trump’s campaign inviting them to a private photo line with the president. The next thing they knew, Eruzione said, Trump was introducing them at the rally and a campaign aide was handing them “Keep America Great” hats as they took the stage. Four of the former players chose not to wear them, but 10 others did, prompting a backlash on social media from Trump’s critics, who view the distinctive red hats as politicized symbols of hate, racism, and xenophobia.

Reliability of Pricey New Voting Machines Questioned
AP News – Frank Bajak | Published: 2/23/2020

In the rush to replace insecure, unreliable electronic voting machines after Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential race, state and local officials have scrambled to acquire more trustworthy equipment for this year’s election, when U.S. intelligence agencies fear even worse problems. But instead of choosing simple, hand-marked paper ballots that are most resistant to tampering because paper cannot be hacked, many are opting for pricier technology that computer security experts consider almost as risky as earlier discredited electronic systems. Nearly one in five U.S. voters will be using ballot-marking machines this year, compared with less than two percent in 2018, according to Verified Voting.

Republican Lobbying Firms Riding High Despite Uncertainty of 2020 Race
The Hill – Alex Gangitano | Published: 2/26/2020

Republican lobbying firms are riding high after three years of President Trump and a GOP-controlled Senate. But those firms also face a tumultuous presidential election, a heated fight for the Senate, and a wave of Republican retirements from both chambers. That is sparking questions about whether they can keep that stretch going. K Street as a whole has been booming in recent years, but the gains for Republican lobbyists in particular have been notable, as firms have beefed up their Washington teams and seen revenue surge. Some question whether GOP firms should brace themselves for the uncertainty ahead and the prospect their party could lose the White House. Many lobbyists from Republican firms who spoke to The Hill, however, said they expect the boom to continue no matter how 2020 shakes out.

Richard Grenell’s Paid Consulting Included Work for U.S. Nonprofit Funded Mostly by Hungary
MSN – Emma Brown, Beth Reinhard, and Dalton Bennett (Washington Post) | Published: 2/24/2020

Richard Grenell’s public relations consulting and foreign policy commentary are part of an unusual résumé for a leader of the U.S. intelligence community, a job Grenell assumed when President Trump named him acting director of national intelligence. That promotion is drawing scrutiny of Grenell’s past, including his foreign affairs commentary and consulting work after he served as U.S. spokesperson at the United Nations. His work for a Hungarian-funded nonprofit is the type of activity that has drawn the attention of Justice Department investigators tasked with enforcing the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The law requires people who advocate in the U.S. on behalf of a foreign power to register and disclose their activities, but Grenell did not register.

‘Scam PAC’ Treasurer Sentenced to Federal Prison
Center for Public Integrity – Sarah Kleiner | Published: 2/21/2020

A federal judge sentenced political operative Scott Mackenzie to 12 months and one day in prison for making false statements to the FEC. He also must pay $172,200 in restitution. Mackenzie, one of Washington’s most prolific and controversial political fundraisers, has served as treasurer of more than 50 federal PACs. At least a dozen of these purported to raise money for political and social causes, but they spent most of the money they raise from unsuspecting donors on fundraising, salaries, and overhead. Brett Kappel, a campaign finance lawyer, said the decision is “a historic campaign finance prosecution” – the first time he is aware a professional PAC accountant has been sentenced to prison for filing false reports with the FEC.

Senior Intelligence Official Told Lawmakers That Russia Wants to See Trump Reelected
Philadelphia Inquirer – Ellen Nakashima, Shane Harris, Josh Dawsey, and Anne Gearan (Washington Post) | Published: 2/21/2020

A senior U.S. intelligence official told lawmakers that Russia wants to see President Trump reelected, viewing his administration as more favorable to the Kremlin’s interests. After learning of that analysis, which was provided to House lawmakers in a classified hearing, Trump grew angry at his acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, seeing Maguire and his staff as disloyal for speaking to Congress about Russia’s perceived preference. Trump replaced Maguire with a vocal defender, Richard Grenell. The shake-up at the top of the intelligence community is the latest move in a post-impeachment purge. Trump has instructed aides to identify and remove officials across the government who are not defending his interests, and he wants them replaced with loyalists.

Steve Bannon’s Use of Private Jet Linked to Chinese Businessman Could Violate Campaign Finance Law
ProPublica – Justin Elliott | Published: 2/25/2020

President Trump’s former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, used a private jet apparently owned by a wealthy Chinese businessperson to fly to events to promote Republican congressional candidates in 2018. The previously unreported flights could run afoul of a campaign finance law that bars foreign money from U.S. elections, according to campaign finance experts, though it depends on several factors that are not known. One of the unknowns is whether Bannon paid Guo Wengui, who is a vocal critic of the Chinese regime, and with whom he has other reported financial ties, for the use of the jet.

Trump Campaign Says It Is Suing New York Times Over Russia Opinion Piece
Reuters – Steve Holland | Published: 2/26/2020

President Trump’s re-election campaign said it was filing a libel suit accusing The New York Times of intentionally publishing a false opinion article that suggested Russia and the campaign had an overarching deal in the 2016 U.S. election. In an escalation of the Republican president’s long-running battle with the news media, campaign officials said the lawsuit was being filed in state court in New York. Trump’s criticism of what he calls liberal bias in the American news media plays well with his conservative political base and generates applause at his political rallies, where his supporters often jeer journalists. Trump regularly refers to various media outlets as “fake news” and has called elements of the U.S. media “the enemy of the American people.”

Watchdog ‘Disappointed’ with Review of State’s Lobbying Act
Irish Times – Jack Horgan-Jones | Published: 2/25/2020

Ireland’s lobbying watchdog criticized the government for failing to give it extra powers to police the “revolving door” between the private and public sectors. Sherry Perrault, who is in charge of ethics and lobbying at the Standards in Public Office Commission, said it was “disappointed none of its recommendations were adopted” during a review of lobbying laws. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform found there was no convincing case for updating the laws introduced in 2014.

Where Does All the Swag Go After Campaigns Fail? Everywhere
Chicago Tribune – Mihir Zaveri and Alan Yuhas (New York Times) | Published: 2/25/2020

For decades, American presidential campaigns have churned out enormous quantities of swag – buttons, mugs, guacamole bowls – to promote candidates, fill campaign coffers, and gather data about supporters. Less attention has been paid to what happens to all those things after most of those campaigns end, sometimes abruptly. Surplus items often end up in storage or in the homes of staff members and volunteers. Some are given a second life with a new campaign. Most are thought to be recycled or thrown away. Lori Ferber Collectibles has been gathering campaign ephemera for over 40 years, said Steve Ferber, the company’s vice president. He said the company had sold everything from Reagan yo-yos to a Nixon pizza box. “It can get pretty strange, but everything sells eventually,” Ferber said.

Canada

Canada – Facing Senate Suspension, Sen. Lynn Beyak Apologizes ‘Unreservedly’ for Posting Racist Letters Online
National Post – Canadian Press | Published: 2/25/2020

Sen. Lynn Beyak sought to stave off suspension from the upper chamber, pledging to do more to make amends for the harm she caused by posting offensive letters online. The letters were sent to Beyak, a senator from Ontario, in support of her defense of the residential school system. While the Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded the system caused horrific abuse and alienation for generations of First Nations, Metis and Inuit children, Beyak has suggested there were benefits to the program that have been overshadowed. The letters she received and published online echoed her views, but some also went further, including suggestions that Indigenous Peoples and their cultures were inferior.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – Alaska Marijuana Industry Works to Curry Favor with Local Politicians
Anchorage Daily News – Aubrey Wieber | Published: 2/23/2020

Since recreational marijuana became legal in Alaska, local businesses have joined other industries in the state like oil, fishing, and tourism in working to influence how their trade is regulated. By holding fundraisers and interacting with local and state leaders, Alaska’s marijuana industry is building its political capital, aiming to shape everything from rules restricting signage to how the industry is taxed. In Anchorage, the marijuana industry uses its growing political influence to suggest local regulation changes.

Arizona – A Veteran Running for Congress Is Suspending His Campaign After a Heroin Overdose
Washington Post – Meryl Kornfield | Published: 2/26/2020

An Arizona Republican running for the U.S. House suspended his campaign to go into treatment after a heroin overdose. Chris Taylor, a 33-year-old Army veteran and city council member in Safford, said he was sober for “many solid years” before the relapse. He was found unresponsive in his home, where paramedics revived him with naloxone, a drug that reverses the effects of opioids. As the opioid crisis has continued to make headlines, only a few politicians, especially at the federal level, have come forward with their own stories of addiction.

Arkansas – Ex-Nonprofit Chief Sentenced to 2 Years in Corruption Case
Texarkana Gazette – Eric Besson (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) | Published: 2/27/2020

The founder and executive director of South Arkansas Youth Services received a two-and-one-half year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty as part of a public corruption investigation spanning Arkansas and Missouri. Jerry Walsh pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge and was convicted in July 2018 of funneling more than $380,000 of the nonprofit’s money to former Arkansas lobbyist Milton Cranford, one of Cranford’s relatives, and an unnamed former Arkansas senator. Walsh spent the money, without his board’s approval, as part of an effort to preserve the agency’s state contracts to run youth detention facilities in Arkansas and to otherwise secure favorable treatment from officials, he said in his plea.

California – A New Voting System in L.A. Raises the Stakes for California’s Primary
Los Angeles Times – John Myers and Matt Stiles | Published: 2/24/2020

When Los Angeles County set out to build a new voting system from scratch more than a decade ago, election officials knew the challenges in serving an electorate larger than those found in any of 39 states. But what they did not know was that their efforts were on a collision course with a series of statewide election changes and the most consequential presidential primary in modern California history. Should Angelenos not understand what to do or where to go, the effects could be felt both statewide and – in terms of the Democratic presidential race – across the country.

California – Steak Dinners, Secret Donors: How the Tech Caucus is courting Silicon Valley with charity
CalMatters – Laurel Rosenhall | Published: 2/20/2020

As the number of nonprofits run by California lawmakers or staff has grown in the last decade, most have publicly reported donors to the Fair Political Practices Commission. But the Foundation for California’s Technology and Innovation Economy, overseen by three board members with close ties to Assemblyperson Evan Low, last year stopped disclosing where its money comes from. The choice highlights the potential for secrecy in the growing niche of nonprofits run by government officials. “Legally they’re not required to give a lot of detail, which is one reason these groups can be so opaque and remain in the shadows; It just depends on what a group chooses to disclose,” said Anna Massoglia of the Center for Responsive Politics.

Colorado – Denver Auditor Finds Serious Deficiencies in Ethics Board, Gift Reporting
Colorado Politics – Michael Karlik | Published: 2/24/2020

City Auditor Timothy O’Brien found in a new report that Denver’s volunteer ethics board suffers from lack of enforcement powers and inability to take complaints anonymously. In a survey question that 1,237 city employees responded to, 41 percent said they had observed unethical behavior and did not report it to the board. They cited fear of retaliation and the expectation of no corrective action taken as the most common justifications for non-reports. The report also discovered noncompliance with deadlines among elected officials and their appointees for disclosure of gifts worth $50 or more.

Florida – A Side Parking Business at PortMiami Ends for Firefighters After County Ethics Probe
Miami Herald – Douglas Hanks | Published: 2/21/2020

Parking for a week at the Port of Miami costs about $175 unless your girlfriend happened to use a travel agent who went to high school with a local firefighter who could rent you a parking spot at the county rescue station there for a fraction of that price. That is the scenario Chad Burg outlined to a county ethics investigator last fall, explaining how he wound up parking his truck at Miami-Dade Fire Station No. 39 for just $20 during a week-long cruise in September out of the county-owned port. That kind of parking deal at the world’s busiest cruise port has come to an end on the heels of an ethics investigation into a longstanding perk for county firefighters that evolved into a funding source for the station’s kitchen and recreational options.

Kentucky – Lexington Businessman Found Guilty of Lying About Alleged Illegal Campaign Donations
Lexington Herald-Leader – Beth Musgrave | Published: 2/25/2020

A federal jury convicted a real estate executive on 11 charges relating to obstructing a federal investigation into alleged illegal contributions to Lexington council members in the May 2018 election. Timothy Wellman could face decades in prison if given the maximum sentence on all 11 counts. Prosecutors alleged Wellman circumvented state campaign finance limits that prohibit individuals from donating more than $2,000 to a candidate by giving money to more than a dozen straw contributors and then reimbursing them. Wellman told his co-workers at CRM Companies to lie to FBI agents and a federal grand jury and created false documents to cover up where money for those campaign contributions came from, prosecutors said.

Louisiana – Ending of 10- Year-Old Ethics Case Sets ‘a New Low Standard’ for Louisiana Public Officials
New Orleans Advocate – Andrea Gallo | Published: 2/21/2020

Former state Sen. Robert Marionneaux Jr. has come to an agreement with the Louisiana Board of Ethics to resolve charges from 10 years ago that he failed to disclose he was paid to represent a company in a lawsuit against Louisiana State University. State public servants are required to disclose when their financial interests overlap or conflict with the state’s, yet Marionneaux was able to delay doing so for years without penalty. Former Gov. Bobby Jindal’s “gold standard” ethics reforms in 2008 required new financial disclosures from public officials. But the other ways in which Jindal rejiggered the state’s ethics system have led to a falloff in enforcement, particularly for legislators, The New Orleans Advocate reported last year.

Maryland – Ex-Lawmaker’s Campaign Treasurer Gets Probation for Fraud
AP News – Staff | Published: 2/26/2020

The campaign treasurer and daughter of a former Maryland lawmaker has been sentenced to probation for misusing her mother’s campaign funds. Anitra Edmond pleaded guilty to converting more than $35,000 in campaign funds for her personal use and failing to disclose contributions on state campaign finance reports. In a plea agreement, Edmond says she used the money for fast food, hair styling, personal phone bills, and rent for a separate business. Former Del. Tawanna Gaines pleaded guilty to a related charge of wire fraud and was sentenced to six months in prison followed by two months of home detention.

Maryland – Former Baltimore Mayor Sentenced to 3 Years in Book Scheme
AP News – Regina Garcia Cano | Published: 2/27/2020

Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh was sentenced to three years in federal prison for a fraud scheme involving her children’s book series. She also must serve three years of supervised release after getting out of prison and pay more than $411,000 in restitution. Pugh resigned under pressure as authorities investigated bulk sales of her “Healthy Holly” paperbacks, which netted her hundreds of thousands of dollars. Federal authorities accused her of double selling the books, keeping many for self-promotion purposes, and failing to deliver them to institutions they were purchased for, including the Baltimore City Public Schools. Pugh had a deal with the University of Maryland Medical System, where she sat on the board of directors, to buy 100,000 copies of her books for $500,000.

Maryland – The NAACP Paid $100,000 To A Woman Who Accused Him of Sexual Harassment. Now He’s Likely Headed to Congress.
BuzzFeed News – Addy Baird | Published: 2/25/2020

It has been nearly three years since the #MeToo movement began, ushering in the downfall of dozens of powerful men. But slowly, in recent months, those who faced serious allegations of misconduct have begun to reenter the mainstream. How to handle their reinventions remains an open question, and it is one U.S. House Democrats will have to answer given the near certainty that Kweisi Mfume, a former member of Congress and NAACP president who was accused of sexual harassment and admitted to dating a subordinate more than a decade ago, will join their ranks in late April. The NAACP paid the subordinate $100,000 in 2004 to avoid a lawsuit. Mfume recently won the special election primary to replace the late Rep. Elijah Cummings.

Massachusetts – Following Bribery Scandal, Walsh Revamps Zoning Board Policies
Boston Globe – Tim Logan and Milton Valencia | Published: 2/24/2020

Six months after a bribery scandal rocked the city’s Zoning Board of Appeal, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh detailed changes he hopes will prevent such an incident from happening again. Walsh signed an executive order designed to strengthen conflict-of-interest and financial disclosure rules for the seven-member board, which governs small and midsize development projects across the city. More substantial changes, such as adding seats to the board, would require state legislation and probably take months, if not years, to win approval. But Walsh and key city council members said such measures are crucial to restoring faith in a board that wields enormous influence on the look and feel of Boston’s neighborhoods.

Nevada – Bernie Sanders Decisively Wins Nevada Caucuses
MSN – Matt Viser (Washington Post) | Published: 2/22/2020

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders won the Nevada caucuses, providing another boost to an insurgent campaign that is challenging the Democratic establishment and stifling the plans of rivals who still hold out hope of stopping him. Sanders’ advantage in Nevada was overwhelming, with substantial leads in nearly every demographic group, allowing him to set down a marker in the first state with a significant share of nonwhite voters.

New Hampshire – Lawmakers Reprimanded for Skipping Anti-Harassment Training
AP News – Holly Ramer | Published: 2/20/2020

Seven Republican members of the New Hampshire House were publicly reprimanded for failing to attend mandatory training on sexual harassment prevention in a contentious session that lasted far longer than the two-hour course. Over the course of four hours, each lawmaker was given the opportunity to explain why they did not attend the training sessions. Some said they believed the mandate was unconstitutional, others said they did not need the training. Throughout the afternoon, Republicans made their displeasure known through a variety of unsuccessful procedural stunts that delayed the votes.

New Jersey – Court Ruling Bolsters Convicted Former Jersey City Council President’s Bid for His Pension Benefits
Newark Star Ledger – Ron Zeitlinger (Jersey Journal) | Published: 2/20/2020

A former Jersey City politician caught in a federal corruption sting more than 10 years ago may be entitled to pension benefits, a state appellate panel ruled. The panel reversed the state pension board’s 2018 decision that denied benefits to former City Council President Mariano Vega because of his guilty plea to corruption charges in 2010. The court did not grant Vega benefits earned from his 22 years as a Hudson County employee, but instead sent the question of benefits back to the pension board with instructions to weigh all the factors before deciding if Vega should receive all, some, or none of his pension.

New Jersey – N.J.’s Oddest Political Tradition to Roll Along with Less Booze, Fewer People After #MeToo Allegations
Newark Star-Ledger – Susan Livio and Kelly Heyboer (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 2/26/2020

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s annual train trip has long been a political tradition. Politicians, lobbyists, business leaders – and anyone who wants to get close to power – can buy $700 tickets to shake hands, drink, and schmooze as they walk through a series of packed train cars on their way to Washington, D.C. This year, the Chamber is debuting new rules designed to make the trip less raucous in response to a report on sexual harassment in New Jersey politics. The report included comments from women who said they were groped and subjected to sexual comments from often-drunk men on the crowded train. Though the trip is considered a must-attend event for many, some women said they no longer attend or take other transportation to the receptions because they felt uncomfortable on the packed train.

New Mexico – Ethics Panel Wants Charges Against Padilla Refiled
Albuquerque Journal – Dan McKay | Published: 2/25/2020

In its first court filing, the State Ethics Commission says the New Mexico Court of Appeals should reverse the dismissal of criminal charges against former Taxation and Revenue Secretary Demesia Padilla. The Ethics Commission took no position on Padilla’s guilt or innocence. But it said the state Governmental Conduct Act established specific, mandatory duties prohibiting abuse of office that can be enforced through criminal charges. Padilla had fair warning, the agency said, that she could face criminal enforcement if she were to abuse her office. The filing comes after Padilla’s attorney won dismissal of five ethics charges last year, arguing Padilla had been charged under parts of the law that are too vague to be enforced and were never meant to be used in criminal cases.

New Mexico – NM Lobbyists Spend $151,000 on Legislators
Albuquerque Journal – Dan McKay | Published: 2/26/2020

New Mexico lobbyists and their clients reported about $151,000 in spending this session. That is just part of the expenditures. More-detailed reports are due in May. But what is not reported might be more interesting. Lobbyists are not required to report which specific bills they are supporting or opposing, and they often do not reveal which legislators they met or shared a meal with. Sen. Jeff Steinborn said he will push again next session to expand the disclosure requirements for lobbyists. One priority, Steinborn said, is for lobbyists to reveal which bills they are working on.

New York – Even Defunct, de Blasio Campaign Draws Financial Ethics Concerns
Politico – Joe Anuta | Published: 2/24/2020

As New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s presidential campaign coffers ran dry, he paid consultants and staff from a pair of PACs ostensibly created to help other Democrats, a questionable fundraising setup that helped boost the mayor’s profile even as he positioned himself as a reformer looking to get big money out of politics. Politico has reported that de Blasio’s campaign accepted the maximum from a small group of wealthy benefactors and then took additional contributions from the same people through his PACs. The PACs then spent money to help his White House bid in what one watchdog group called a shell game, but which the de Blasio camp has defended as a legal setup.

New York – New Bill Would Close Loophole for Reporting on Independent Expenditures to Influence Ballot Referenda
Gotham Gazette – Samar Khurshid | Published: 2/26/2020

New York City Councilperson Brad Lander introduced legislation that would close a loophole in city campaign finance law that currently allows groups to hide their donors when they try to influence voting on a ballot referendum. The law now requires independent expenditure committees to disclose their contributors only when they spend money to favorably or negatively affect a candidate’s campaign for elected office. The law does not require that for ballot measures, such as the five that were approved by voters in November of last year.

Ohio – Tamaya Dennard: Councilwoman facing charges of bribery and extortion, court documents show
Cincinnati Enquirer – Sharon Cooledge | Published: 2/25/2020

Cincinnati City Councilperson Tamaya Dennard was arrested on federal charges of wire fraud, bribery, and attempted extortion. According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, between August and December 2019, Dennard engaged in acts and attempted acts of bribery and extortion, attempting to exchange her votes for money. Dennard is accused of requesting between $10,000 and $15,000 from an individual to pay for her personal expenses. An individual working with the FBI and Dennard exchanged a total of $15,000, in increments of $10,000 and $5,000, for upcoming votes on a matter scheduled to be heard by council. Dennard deposited $10,000 in a personal bank account the same day she received it.

South Carolina – SC School District Officials Hit with Ethics Fines for Votes Tied to Spouses
Charleston Post and Courier – Joseph Cranney and Avery Wilkes | Published: 2/26/2020

South Carolina’s Ethics Commission sanctioned a pair of Columbia school district commissioners who each voted for contracts that netted hundreds of thousands in public dollars for nonprofits partly controlled by their spouses. Jamie Devine, board chair for Richland County School District One, said in a statement that a commission’s ruling against him went contrary to legal advice he received regarding his spouse’s board position with the EngenuitySC, which has partnered with the district on science education programs. Fellow Commissioner Beatrice King, who once warned Jamie Devine about his potential conflict, was fined for her own failure to recuse herself on votes for district contracts that went to Prisma Health. Her husband sits on that group’s board.

Washington – Tim Eyman Violated Campaign Finance Law, Concealed Payments, Judge Rules
Seattle Times – David Gutman | Published: 2/21/2020

Tim Eyman has been in violation of Washington’s campaign finance laws for at least the last seven years, concealing more than $766,000 in political contributions, a Thurston County Superior Court judge ruled. Eyman raised the money to compensate himself for the political work he does – serially running anti-tax ballot initiatives. But he did not report any of that money to the state Public Disclosure Commission, as is required. The judge said Eyman is at least 2,706 days late in registering as a political committee. He is also a combined 173,862 days late in filing 110 monthly campaign finance reports. The penalty for filing a late report is $10 a day, and that could be bumped to $30 a day if the judge rules the violations were intentional, which could potentially leave Eyman vulnerable to a fine of more than $5 million.

Campaign Finance

National: “Steve Bannon’s Use of Private Jet Linked to Chinese Businessman Could Violate Campaign Finance Law” by Justin Elliott for ProPublica

New York: “New Bill Would Close Loophole for Reporting on Independent Expenditures to Influence Ballot Referenda” by Samar Khurshid for Gotham Gazette

Elections

Arizona: “A Veteran Running for Congress Is Suspending His Campaign After a Heroin Overdose” by Meryl Kornfield for Washington Post

Ethics

National: “Group Asks Congress to Investigate How Devin Nunes Is Paying for His Lawsuits” by Kate Irby for Fresno Bee

Canada: “Facing Senate Suspension, Sen. Lynn Beyak Apologizes ‘Unreservedly’ for Posting Racist Letters Online” by Canadian Press for National Post

Maryland: “The NAACP Paid $100,000 To A Woman Who Accused Him of Sexual Harassment. Now He’s Likely Headed to Congress.” by Addy Baird for BuzzFeed News

New Mexico: “Ethics Panel Wants Charges Against Padilla Refiled” by Dan McKay for Albuquerque Journal

South Carolina: “SC School District Officials Hit with Ethics Fines for Votes Tied to Spouses” by Joseph Cranney and Avery Wilkes for Charleston Post and Courier

Lobbying

National: “Republican Lobbying Firms Riding High Despite Uncertainty of 2020 Race” by Alex Gangitano for The Hill

The Chicago Board of Ethics released a fourth binding advisory opinion to provide additional guidance on Ethics Ordinance 2019-5305.

Effective April 20, it will impose new registration and reporting requirements on certain nonprofit interactions with the city.

The board states the 14 questions addressed in the new advisory opinion reflect the fundamental principal of Chicago’s lobbying law:

If an individual is paid by another person or organization to influence city administrative or legislative actions, the activity should be done transparently, either through official documented administrative processes or through registration and reporting lobbying activity.

Campaign Finance

Kentucky: “Lexington Businessman Found Guilty of Lying About Alleged Illegal Campaign Donations” by Beth Musgrave for Lexington Herald-Leader

Elections

National: “Where Does All the Swag Go After Campaigns Fail? Everywhere” by Mihir Zaveri and Alan Yuhas (New York Times) for The World News

California: “A New Voting System in L.A. Raises the Stakes for California’s Primary” by John Myers and Matt Stiles for Los Angeles Times

Ethics

National: “Once Cold War Heroes, ‘Miracle on Ice’ Team Struggles with Backlash from Donning ‘Keep America Great’ Hats at Trump Rally” by David Nakamura (Washington Post) for MSN

Colorado: “Denver Auditor Finds Serious Deficiencies in Ethics Board, Gift Reporting” by Michael Karlik for Colorado Politics

Massachusetts: “Following Bribery Scandal, Walsh Revamps Zoning Board Policies” by Tim Logan and Milton Valencia for Boston Globe

Ohio: “Tamaya Dennard: Councilwoman facing charges of bribery and extortion, court documents show” by Sharon Cooledge for Cincinnati Enquirer

Lobbying

Europe: “Watchdog ‘Disappointed’ with Review of State’s Lobbying Act” by Jack Horgan-Jones for Irish Times

Campaign Finance

National: “‘Scam PAC’ Treasurer Sentenced to Federal Prison” by Sarah Kleiner for Center for Public Integrity

New York: “Even Defunct, de Blasio Campaign Draws Financial Ethics Concerns” by Joe Anuta for Politico

Elections

National: “Reliability of Pricey New Voting Machines Questioned” by Frank Bajak for AP News

National: “In a Historically Old Presidential Field, Candidates Refuse to Release Health Records” by Matt Viser and Lenny Bernstein (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

Florida: “A Side Parking Business at PortMiami Ends for Firefighters After County Ethics Probe” by Douglas Hanks for Miami Herald

Louisiana: “Ending of 10- Year-Old Ethics Case Sets ‘a New Low Standard’ for Louisiana Public Officials” by Andrea Gallo for New Orleans Advocate

Lobbying

National: “Trump’s New Spy Chief Used to Work for a Foreign Politician the U.S. Accused of Corruption” by Isaac Arnsdorf for ProPublica

Alaska: “Alaska Marijuana Industry Works to Curry Favor with Local Politicians” by Aubrey Wieber for Anchorage Daily News

Campaign Finance

Washington: “Tim Eyman Violated Campaign Finance Law, Concealed Payments, Judge Rules” by David Gutman for Seattle Times

Elections

National: “How Conservatives Learned to Wield Power Inside Facebook” by Craig Timberg (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Dressing for the Campaign Trail Can Be Tough for Female Candidates. M.M. LaFleur Is Lending Free Clothes to Ease the Burden.” by Taylor Telford for Washington Post

Ethics

National: “Senior Intelligence Official Told Lawmakers That Russia Wants to See Trump Reelected” by Ellen Nakashima, Shane Harris, Josh Dawsey, and Anne Gearan (Washington Post) for Philadelphia Inquirer

National: “‘All Traitors Must Die’: Feds charge man for threatening whistleblower attorney” by Natasha Bertrand for Politico

New Hampshire: “Lawmakers Reprimanded for Skipping Anti-Harassment Training” by Holly Ramer for Associated Press

New Jersey: “Court Ruling Bolsters Convicted Former Jersey City Council President’s Bid for His Pension Benefits” by Ron Zeitlinger (Jersey Journal) for Newark Star Ledger

Lobbying

California: “Steak Dinners, Secret Donors: How the Tech Caucus is courting Silicon Valley with charity” by Laurel Rosenhall for CalMatters

National/Federal

Bloomberg Would Sell Business Interests If Elected President
AP News – Kathleen Ronayne | Published: 2/19/2020

Michael Bloomberg would sell the financial data and media company he created if he is elected president, adviser Tim O’Brien said. The former New York City mayor would put Bloomberg LP into a blind trust, and the trustee would then sell the company, O’Brien said. Proceeds from the sale would go to Bloomberg Philanthropies, the charitable giving arm that funds causes from climate change to public health and grants for American cities. The only restriction Bloomberg would put on the sale is that it not be sold to a foreign buyer or a private equity company, O’Brien said. Walter Shaub, former director of the Office of Government Ethics, said such an action would need to follow complex rules and be approved by the ethics office.

Bloomberg’s Meme Spree Prompts Changes in Facebook, Instagram Rules
Politico – Nancy Scola | Published: 2/14/2020

Presidential contender Michael Bloomberg’s spree of often-surreal social media memes is having one concrete impact – it prompted Facebook to make another change in its rules for paid political content. From now on, Facebook and its Instagram subsidiary will allow “branded content” from candidates, a practice in which a campaign pays so-called influencers to place supportive posts on their accounts. Previously, a Facebook spokesperson said, the platforms had banned such content from politicians by default. Under the new rules, the content will have to be clearly marked as sponsored.

Buttigieg and Super PAC Improperly Coordinated on Nevada Ads, Watchdog Group Says
Greenwich Time – Michelle Ye Hee Lee (Washington Post) | Published: 2/18/2020

The Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint alleging the presidential campaign of Pete Buttigieg improperly coordinated with VoteVets, a super PAC supporting the campaign of the former mayor of South Bend. The watchdog alleged Buttigieg’s campaign improperly accepted more than $639,000 in contributions, in violation of federal rules barring candidates from coordinating with independent groups that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money. The complaint filed with the FEC centers on a tweet by Buttigieg senior strategist Michael Halle analyzing the strengths of a particular campaign message in Nevada, and a subsequent ad campaign in that state by VoteVets that appeared to follow the strategy outlined in the tweet.

DOJ Drops Probe into Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe
Politico – Josh Gerstein | Published: 2/14/2020

The Justice Department abandoned its efforts to seek criminal charges against former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. His lawyers were told last September that he should expect to be indicted on charges stemming from inaccurate statements he made to FBI investigators about his actions around the time of the 2016 election. But no indictment was ever returned, leading to speculation that the grand jury probing the matter took the rare step of rejecting charges. The confirmation of a formal end to the criminal investigation into McCabe’s conduct came amid a highly public tug-of-war between President Trump and the Justice Department over the handling of cases and investigations he has taken a keen interest in.

Mike Bloomberg for Years Has Battled Women’s Allegations of Profane, Sexist Comments
MSN – Michael Kranish (Washington Post) | Published: 2/15/2020

Several lawsuits have been filed over the years alleging women were discriminated against at Michael Bloomberg’s business-information company. While allegations about Bloomberg’s comments and treatment of women have received notice over the years, a review by The Washington Post of thousands of pages of court documents and interviews with witnesses underscores how Bloomberg and his company have fought the claims. As Bloomberg is increasingly viewed as a viable Democratic candidate for president and the #MeToo era has raised the profile of workplace harassment, he is finding his efforts to prevent disclosure are clashing against demands he release former employees and complainants from their nondisclosure agreements.

Political Ads Are Flooding Hulu, Roku and Other Streaming Services, Revealing Loopholes in Federal Election Laws
Washington Post – Tony Romm | Published: 2/20/2020

Four years after Russian agents exploited popular online platforms to push propaganda, sow unrest, and promote Donald Trump’s candidacy, the U.S. government has made virtually no progress on bringing more transparency to paid political speech. The risks remain high that voters could be duped by candidates, advocacy groups, and foreign governments – particularly online, where major regulatory gaps exist. Campaign finance experts say they are especially concerned about video-streaming services at a moment when more Americans are shifting their viewing habits from cable to the Web. Politicians have followed people online, and over the past year, their ads have appeared on popular platforms such as Roku. But nothing requires these fast-growing digital providers to disclose whom these ads targeted and who viewed them.

President Pardons Ex-GSA, OMB Official
Government Executive – Tom Shoop | Published: 2/18/2020

The series of pardons that President Trump issued on February 18 included one for David Safavian, a top official at the General Services Administration (GSA) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) during the George W. Bush administration. Safavian served time in federal prison for lying about his dealings with lobbyist Jack Abramoff in a high-profile scandal. Safavian was convicted on four counts relating to a golf trip he took with Abramoff to Scotland in 2002. The former head of federal procurement policy at OMB was found guilty of obstructing a GSA investigation, lying on a financial disclosure form, and two counts of making false statements.

Roger Stone Sentenced to 40 Months for Lying to Congress, Witness Tampering Amid Turmoil Between Justice Dept. and Trump on Penalty
MSN – Rachel Weiner, Matt Zapotosky, and Tom Jackman (Washington Post) | Published: 2/20/2020

Roger Stone was sentenced to 40 months in prison for obstructing a congressional inquiry in a bid to protect President Trump. The penalty from U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson comes after weeks of infighting over the politically charged case that threw the Justice Department into crisis, and it is likely not to be the final word. Even before the sentencing hearing began, Trump seemed to suggest on Twitter he might pardon Stone, who was convicted on seven counts of lying to Congress and tampering with a witness about his efforts to learn about hacked emails related to Hillary Clinton. Stone was the sixth Trump associate convicted and the last person indicted in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

Rohrabacher Confirms He Offered Trump Pardon to Assange for Proof Russia Didn’t Hack DNC Email
Yahoo News – Michael Isikoff | Published: 2/20/2020

Former U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher confirmed that during a three-hour meeting at the Ecuadorian Embassy in August 2017, he told Julian Assange he would get President Trump to give him a pardon if he turned over information proving the Russians had not been the source of internal Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails published by WikiLeaks. In an interview with Yahoo News, Rohrabacher said his goal during the meeting was to find proof for a widely debunked conspiracy theory: that WikiLeaks’ real source for the DNC emails was not Russian intelligence agents, as U.S. officials have since concluded, but former DNC staffer Seth Rich, who was murdered in July 2016 in what police believe was a botched robbery. A lawyer for Assange cited the pardon offer during a court hearing on the U.S. government’s request to extradite the WikiLeaks founder.

Trump Campaign Hires Alum of Controversial Data Company
Politico – Alex Isenstadt | Published: 2/19/2020

President Trump’s campaign is bringing on an alumnus of the data firm Cambridge Analytica, a move likely to raise alarms among Trump critics and data privacy advocates who worry the president will push the technological envelope to get reelected in 2020. Matt Oczkowski, who served as head of product at Cambridge before it went bankrupt and shut down, is helping oversee the Trump campaign’s data program. Cambridge gained notoriety for its work on psychological voter profiling and because it allegedly improperly obtained the personal information of tens of millions of Facebook users. Trump aides have denied they used Cambridge’s Facebook data in 2016 and say they will not in 2020, either. They insist they have no interest in using psychographic voter targeting. But that has not allayed fears among Democrats that the president will resort to online dirty tricks to win another term.

Trump Commutes Former Illinois Gov. Blagojevich’s Sentence
AP News – Michael Tarm | Published: 2/18/2020

President Donald Trump commuted the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted in a wide-ranging political corruption case just months after he appeared on Trump’s reality television show. Blagojevich’s conviction was notable, even in a state where four of the last 10 governors have gone to prison  for corruption. Judge James Zagel, who sentenced Blagojevich to the longest prison term yet for an Illinois politician, said when a governor “goes bad, the fabric of Illinois is torn and disfigured.” He was originally convicted on 18 counts, including lying to the FBI, trying to trade an appointment to a U.S. Senate seat for contributions and attempting to extort a children’s hospital executive. An appeals court tossed five of the convictions.

Why Corporate PACs Have an Advantage
Center for Responsive Politics – Karl Evers-Hillstrom | Published: 2/14/2020

To increase their clout in Washington, D.C., corporations and trade associations often use affiliated PACs to boost the campaigns of candidates. Corporations themselves cannot give directly to traditional PACs, candidates, or parties. But they are allowed to cover almost all expenses incurred by their affiliated PAC, including staff salaries, fundraising expenses, and administrative costs. And corporations may spend their treasury funds to create incentives for their employees to fund the PAC. Grassroots political organizations say the current rules create an uneven playing field in the world of PAC giving. By paying for PAC expenses with corporate funds, these companies can maximize their political giving. Issue-focused PACs, on the other hand, must spend donors’ money to pay for salaries and hefty fundraising fees.

Canada

Canada – Remicade Maker Janssen Recruits Former Doug Ford Adviser as Lobbyist
The Globe and Mail – Jill Mahoney and Kelly Grant | Published: 2/17/2020

A former top policy adviser to Ontario Premier Doug Ford registered as a lobbyist for a pharmaceutical company that is trying to persuade the provincial government to keep funding the country’s most lucrative drug. Greg Harrington, who played a senior role on government health policy, registered as a lobbyist for Janssen on January 31. During his time in the premier’s office, Harrington said he met with Janssen officials once or twice over concerns the province would force patients on government-sponsored drug insurance to switch from the company’s drug Remicade to cheaper alternatives called biosimilars. Harrington is the latest in a group of lobbyists with close ties to Ford and his Progressive Conservative Party that Janssen has enlisted.

Canada – Stephen McNeil’s Meeting with Premier-Turned-Lobbyist Draws Fire
CBC – Jean Laroche | Published: 2/14/2020

A year ago, Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil and one of his senior advisers sat down to breakfast at Halifax’s Marriott Harbourfront Hotel with representatives from the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, a gathering arranged and hosted by former Quebec premier and one-time deputy prime minister Jean Charest, who lobbies on the group’s behalf. The private meeting coincided with a national aerospace industry effort called Vision 2025, a campaign Charest noted was part of his lobbying activities on the federal government’s lobbyist registry in November 2018. Although Charest is registered federally, he has not registered as a lobbyist in Nova Scotia.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – State Challenges Ballot Measure That Would Install Ranked-Choice Voting Statewide
Anchorage Daily News – James Brooks | Published: 2/19/2020

State attorneys asked the Alaska Supreme Court to split a proposed election-reform ballot measure into two or more separate votes. If not, Assistant Attorney General Laura Fox said, the justices should rule the measure unconstitutional and prevent it from coming to a vote. Fox’s request came as the justices listened to arguments over the validity of the Better Elections ballot initiative, which would eliminate party-specific primary elections, install ranked-choice voting for general elections, and impose tough new disclosure rules on campaign contributions.

Arizona – Migrant-Rights Advocates File Ethics Complaint Against Sen. Eddie Farnsworth After He Cuts Off Testimony
Arizona Republic – Maria Polletta | Published: 2/18/2020

Migrant-rights advocates announced they filed an ethics complaint against Arizona Sen. Eddie Farnsworth, who had them removed from a committee hearing as they protested a controversial immigration measure. Lobbyist Hugo Polanco was testifying at the hearing on behalf of Living United for Change in Arizona, saying the resolution would be “a return to the racism, divisiveness, and hate of [Senate Bill] 1070” when Farnsworth stopped him and told him not to be “vitriolic.” When Polanco insisted the legislation at hand was also “racist, divisive, and hateful,” Farnsworth cut him off. Farnsworth asked security personnel to remove Polanco if he continued to argue and announced the committee was done hearing public comment on the measure. Several members of the group were told they could be arrested and charged with trespassing if they did not leave the hearing voluntarily.

Arizona – Republican Lawmaker Files Ethics Complaints After Chaotic Voting Law Hearing at Arizona Legislature
Arizona Republic – Andrew Oxford | Published: 2/19/2020

House Elections Committee Chairperson Kelly Townsend will file an ethics complaint against two Democratic lawmakers after a hearing devolved into a fracas. The hours-long hearing culminated in Townsend attempting to cut off public testimony, throw a speaker out of the committee room, and force a vote on a multifaceted piece of legislation all while Democrats objected and the gallery jeered. Democrats accused Townsend of stifling discussion and public testimony.

Arizona – Scandals Reveal Murky Workplace Standards in Legislature
Arizona Capitol Times – Arren Kimbel-Sannit and Julia Shumway | Published: 2/14/2020

Arizona Rep. David Cook and lobbyist AnnaMarie Knorr have said their relationship is proper and platonic, even after love letters Cook wrote to Knorr surfaced. But Cook and Knorr have faced disparate consequences since the story broke. Cook has continued to serve on committees and vote on legislation. Knorr was placed on administrative leave by her employer, the Western Growers’ Association, pending an investigation into whether her relationship with Cook presented ethical violations. That one is on leave while the other remains in the public eye highlights the different standards between the Legislature, where lawmakers have balked at adopting a code of conduct,  and private sector firms, where experts say written expectations on proper interpersonal relationships are ubiquitous.

California – Gift SF Mayor Breed Received from Mohammed Nuru May Have Violated City Law
KQED – Scott Shafer | Published: 2/14/2020

San Francisco Mayor London Breed acknowledged not only having a past romantic relationship with disgraced former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, but also accepting a $5,600 gift from him for car repairs. While the California Fair Political Practices Commission does not require disclosure of gifts “by an individual with whom the official has a long term, close personal friendship unrelated to the official’s position,” Breed said she would voluntarily report the gift on her Statement of Economic Interests form. What Breed did not mention is that the gift she received from Nuru appears to violate city ethics rules.

California – Judge Set to OK Bulk of San Francisco Political Ad Disclosure Rules
Courthouse News Service – Nicholas Iovino | Published: 2/14/2020

U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer said he will uphold the majority of Proposition F, a San Francisco ordinance that requires print, audio, and video political ads disclose the top three donors who contributed at least $5,000. If one of those donors is a PAC, that committee’s top two donors must also be disclosed. While refusing to block most of the law, Breyer agreed that requiring lengthy disclaimers for small-print and short-length political ads is likely unconstitutional because they would “clearly just overwhelm the message.”

California – The New Thing for California Politicians? Sweet Charity
CalMatters – Laurel Rosenhall | Published: 2/17/2020

Nonprofits run by state lawmakers and their staff host fundraisers where lobbyists can mingle at the Disneyland Hotel with politicians, and policy conferences where tech executives can dine with legislators shaping California law on data privacy and the gig economy. While state law caps the amount donors can give to campaigns, contributions to nonprofits are not limited. These groups underwrite charitable work and let public officials help the state or advance causes they care about without using taxpayer money. But unlike campaign accounts, they often offer a tax break and can raise unlimited sums from special interests, with fewer disclosure requirements. Experts say the practice has become an increasingly common way for politicians to raise and spend money outside the limits even of California’s tough regulations.

Florida – Florida Loses Appeals Court Ruling on Felon Voting Law
Politico – Gary Fineout | Published: 2/19/2020

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a Florida law limiting the voting rights of people with felony convictions was unconstitutional. The judges upheld a lower court decision that found the state could not deny ex-felons the right to vote just because they cannot afford to pay outstanding court fines, fees, and restitution, as required by the 2019 law. The ruling said the law violated the Constitution’s equal protection clause.

Illinois – Aldermen Relied on a Study to Approve $1.3 Billion for Sterling Bay’s Lincoln Yards. Turns Out That Sterling Bay Hired the Consultant Who Wrote It.
Chicago Tribune – Hal Dardick | Published: 2/18/2020

Key to the $1.3 billion taxpayer subsidy for the Lincoln Yards development in Chicago was a report declaring the project met the requirements to get the money. As Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration promoted the record tax increment financing (TIF) deal at a public meeting, a planning official introduced the author of that report as “the city’s TIF consultant.” What the administration and consultant did not tell the crowd was that developer Sterling Bay had both picked the consultant and paid the firm. That consultant also had been retained by a Sterling Bay subsidiary to lobby City Hall on the final terms of the Lincoln Yards agreement. Experts say such arrangements pose obvious conflicts, given that the consultants who certify such projects are being paid by the very developers who are seeking approval for hundreds of millions of dollars.

Illinois – Aldermen Tighten Reins on Outside Jobs for City Employees
WBBM – Staff | Published: 2/19/2020

The Chicago City Council is placing new limits on side jobs for some city employees, closing a loophole that allowed them to work for private contractors who have government deals they oversee. The ordinance that was approved would prohibit any city official or employee with contract oversight from working for subcontractors or consultants on any contract they manage as part of their government job.

Indiana – Lawmaker Wants to Deregulate Wetlands. Her Family Once Was Cited for Bulldozing Them.
Indianapolis Star – Chris Sikich | Published: 2/17/2020

Environmental advocates are worried a bill that would prevent the state from protecting certain wetlands will lead to more flooding, less clean water, and the loss of wildlife in Indiana. But it is not just what the bill would do that has drawn criticism. Good government experts are also expressing concern over the appropriateness of who is authoring the legislation. Sen. Victoria Spartz wrote Senate Bill 229, which removes state oversight of certain wetlands near what are called regulated drains. Spartz  has her own complicated history with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s regulation of wetlands, one she did not disclose as the bill has moved through the Legislature.

Kentucky – Prosecutors Contend Lexington Executive Lied About Campaign Donations as Trial Opens
Lexington Herald-Leader – Beth Musgrave | Published: 2/18/2020

Federal prosecutors told a jury that a Lexington real estate executive went to great lengths to cover up his scheme to funnel money to co-workers and family members, who allegedly used the money to make illegal donations to candidates for city government two years ago. Timothy Wellman, an executive with CRM Companies, told co-workers to lie to FBI agents and a federal grand jury, and created false documents to cover up where money for those campaign contributions came from, prosecutors said. Kent Wicker, Wellman’s lawyer, said Wellman often loans money to people without asking to be repaid and contends a disgruntled businesses competitor hired a law firm to investigate him and spread unfounded rumors.

Maine – Latest Resignation Leaves Maine Ethics Panel with Only 3 of 5 Seats Filled
Portland Press Herald – Scott Thistle | Published: 2/14/2020

A Republican member of Maine’s ethics commission has stepped down, leaving the panel with just three of the five members it is authorized to have as the state heads into the 2020 election cycle. Bradford Pattershall is running for a state Senate seat and by law cannot also serve on the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. Although the commission often reaches consensus in its findings, Chairperson William Lee III raised concerns about a depleted membership even before Pattershall’s resignation. Lee warned in November that an understaffed commission could leave it unable to do its job.

Massachusetts – State Representative David Nangle Arrested on Charges of Using Campaign Funds to Fuel Alleged Gambling at Area Casinos
Boston Globe – Tonya Alanez and Travis Anderson | Published: 2/18/2020

Massachusetts Rep. David Nangle, who sits on the House Committee on Ethics, was arrested on federal charges alleging he raided his campaign account to pay personal expenses and sustain his casino gambling habit. An indictment says Nangle used his campaign fund to pay thousands of dollars in Lowell Golf Club dues and personal charges; rental cars for casino travel; flowers for his girlfriend; gas, hotel, and restaurant charges that he had already received state reimbursement for; gift cards for personal use; and cash withdrawals.

Michigan – Ballot Language Approved for Proposal to ‘Change the Culture’ of Lobbying in Michigan
MLive.com – Malachi Barrett | Published: 2/19/2020

Supporters of a ballot initiative to regulate how lobbyists in Michigan interact with lawmakers hope to start collecting signatures by the March 10 presidential primary following approval of a summary of the measure from a state board. Republicans expressed concerns that the language did not reflect how the proposal regulates the speech of Michigan residents. Board member Norm Shinkle also questioned whether the proposal is overly broad, saying it would apply to many obscure state boards and commissions. Former state Democratic Party Chairperson Mark Brewer argued Michiganders have a right to know whenever a lobbyist tries to contact a public official.

Michigan – Ex-Detroit Metro Official Sentenced to 10 Years for Bribery
Detroit News – Robert Snell | Published: 2/5/2020

James Warner, a former Detroit Metropolitan Airport supervisor convicted of receiving more than $6 million in bribes – the third-largest amount in U.S. history – was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Prosecutors say he steered $43.7 million worth of airport contracts to three co-conspirators in return for the kickbacks. At one dinner, Warner and Gary Tenaglia, a contractor who was sentenced to 14 months in prison, discussed contracts and kickbacks, prosecutors said. “During the meal, James Warner wrote ‘5k,’ a proposed kickback amount, on a napkin,” prosecutors wrote in the indictment. “He folded it and slid it across the table to Gary Tenaglia. After Gary Tenaglia acknowledged the meaning of the writing on the napkin, James Warner retrieved the napkin and ate it.”

Missouri – ‘No Evidence of Any Wrongdoing’: Eric Greitens fined $178,000 by ethics commission
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 2/13/2020

Former Gov. Eric Greitens was fined $178,000 by the Missouri Ethics Commission for two campaign finance violations, while a host of other allegations contained in a complaint filed shortly after he resigned from office in 2018 were dismissed. The commission said in a consent decree released that while there were reasonable grounds to believe Greitens’ campaign broke Missouri law, its investigation “found no evidence of any wrongdoing on part of Eric Greitens, individually, and no evidence Gov. Greitens knew” about any violations. If Greitens pays $38,000 of the fine and commits no more violations, the rest would be forgiven.

New Hampshire – Legislature Considers Whether to Tighten Its Own Conflict of Interest Rules
New Hampshire Public Radio – Casey McDermott | Published: 2/19/2020

Responding to a pair of high-profile ethics cases that highlighted the lack of clear restrictions on conflicts-of-interest at the statehouse, New Hampshire lawmakers are weighing how best to balance their role as citizen legislators with a desire to prevent politicians from exploiting public office for private gain. One proposal would prevent lawmakers “from introducing legislation, testifying, voting, participating in, or influencing any legislative matter directly related to [their] employment.” A related proposal would require lawmakers to recuse themselves from official legislative activities if someone in their household is being paid by an organization with “a special interest” in that activity.

New Jersey – Governor Unveils Broader State Ethics, Transparency Bill
Associated Press – Mike Catalini | Published: 2/19/2020

The Legislature will be subject to the state’s open records law, lobbying registration requirements will be tightened, and bills would not get come to a vote unless they were posted online for at least three days under bipartisan ethics legislation to be introduced in New Jersey. The legislation would require public relations experts and lawyers who are currently exempt to register as lobbyists. It would also lower the threshold for registering as a lobbyist from 20 hours a year lobbying to one hour. Other changes include “zero tolerance” for gifts to lawmakers’ offices.

New York – NYC Councilman Andy King Faces New Allegations of Harassment and Misuse of Public Funds
New York Daily News – Anna Sanders | Published: 2/14/2020

New York City Councilperson Andy King faces new ethics charges and calls for expulsion less than four months after the council sanctioned him for past misconduct. He was accused of trying to circumvent an independent monitor the council voted to place in his office after rampant unethical behavior. King was also charged with violating conflict-of-interest rules and the council’s anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy, as well as disorderly conduct and misappropriating public money for his personal benefit.

North Carolina – Another Court Blocks NC Voter ID Law, Citing ‘Racially Discriminatory Intent’
Raleigh News and Observer – Will Doran | Published: 2/18/2020

The state’s new voter ID law appears to have been enacted with racially discriminatory intent and will be at least temporarily blocked during the 2020 elections, the North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday. A federal court has already blocked the voter ID mandate through at least the 2020 primary elections. The most recent decision, in a separate lawsuit in state courts rather than federal courts, could also extend that block until the general election in November. It is now the second court to rule African American voters could be harmed by the way the Republican-Led legislature wrote the law behind the amendment. The activists who sued appear likely to be able to prove “that discriminatory intent was a motivating factor behind” the voter ID law, the judges wrote.

North Carolina – Bribery Trial of Megadonor Greg Lindberg Opens with New Details, All-Star Witness List
Raleigh News and Observer – Colin Campbell, Michael Gordon, and Michelle Battaglia | Published: 2/18/2020

As the bribery trial of insurance conglomerate owner and political donor Greg Lindberg gets under way, new details are emerging through court documents and public records about allegations that Lindberg tried to work with the chairperson of the North Carolina Republican Party to bribe the state’s insurance commissioner. Lindberg and two of his business associates, John Gray and John Palermo, were indicted along with then-GOP Chairperson Robin Hayes, who has since taken a plea deal and could testify at the trial. The trio is accused of trying unsuccessfully to bribe Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey with campaign money in exchange for actions favorable to Lindberg’s companies, including the removal of a top Department of Insurance official that Lindberg disliked.

Tennessee – Proposal Would Overhaul Blocked Tennessee Voter Signup Law
AP News – Kimberlee Kruesi | Published: 2/19/2020

Tennessee lawmakers introduced a new proposal to amend the state’s legally contentious voter-registration restrictions that are currently blocked from being enforced during the 2020 elections. Last year, Gov. Bill Lee signed legislation that made Tennessee the first state in the country to fine registration groups for turning in too many incomplete signup forms. It also criminalized intentional infractions of other new rules with misdemeanor charges. But the law prompted two lawsuits and sparked national criticism from those who argued the law would suppress efforts to register minorities and other voters.

Texas – Donate or Leave: Harris County constable accused of pressuring employees for political contributions
Houston Chronicle – Zach Despart | Published: 2/14/2020

Harris County Precinct 2 Constable Chris Diaz pressured employees to donate to his re-election campaigns and punished those who refused, deputies and civilian staff said. Thirty-eight percent of the $491,000 Diaz has raised since taking office in 2013 has come from Precinct 2 employees or their relatives, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis. Fourteen current and former Precinct 2 employees told The Chronicle that Diaz expected staff to aid his campaign by donating money and items to be auctioned, purchasing supplies for fundraisers, and block walking in the jurisdiction. Three of those former employees are part of a wrongful termination lawsuit against Diaz, who they say reassigned or withheld promotions from deputies and civilian staff who stopped participating.

Vermont – Lawmakers Take a Step on Ethics Code, but Enforcement Still a Ways Off
VTDigger.org – Colin Meyn and Mark Johnson | Published: 2/14/2020

Vermont Senators moved a step closer to creating a code of ethics for state officials and lawmakers but approving that code and giving teeth to an ethics commission created three years ago remain at least a year away. The Government Operations Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 198, which requires the State Ethics Commission to produce a proposed ethics code by November 15, at the latest. That code would then be considered by the Legislature in the next biennium. The bill also asks the commission to present enforcement options. Commission Executive Director Larry Novins worries that including the issue of enforcement, which would inevitably introduce questions of funding, could be used by opponents to derail efforts to get a code passed into law.

West Virginia – Death Threats and Illegal Voting: The war over a luxury resort in Harpers Ferry
MSN – Peter Jamison (Washington Post) | Published: 2/16/2020

The strife seizing Harpers Ferry, population 281, cannot compare to the raid by abolitionist John Brown on the eve of the Civil War that made this rural hamlet famous. But the bitter political drama unfolding there easily rivals the one 60 miles away in Washington, D.C. The conflict has spilled far beyond the half-square-mile that constitutes Harpers Ferry. Voting irregularities are being examined by the West Virginia Supreme Court and secretary of state. Lawmakers are debating a bill that would strip this tiny municipality of much of its authority to govern itself, legislation that could dramatically affect other small towns in West Virginia.  Looming over this drama, figuratively and literally, is the ruin of a 130-year-old hotel.

Campaign Finance

National: “Buttigieg and Super PAC Improperly Coordinated on Nevada Ads, Watchdog Group Says” by Michelle Ye Hee Lee (Washington Post) for Greenwich Time

Kentucky: “Prosecutors Contend Lexington Executive Lied About Campaign Donations as Trial Opens” by Beth Musgrave for Lexington Herald-Leader

Elections

National: “Trump Campaign Hires Alum of Controversial Data Company” by Alex Isenstadt for Politico

North Carolina: “Another Court Blocks NC Voter ID Law, Citing ‘Racially Discriminatory Intent’” by Will Doran for Raleigh News and Observer

Tennessee: “Proposal Would Overhaul Blocked Tennessee Voter Signup Law” by Kimberlee Kruesi for AP News

Ethics

National: “Bloomberg Would Sell Business Interests If Elected President” by Kathleen Ronayne for AP News

Lobbying

National: “President Pardons Ex-GSA, OMB Official” by Tom Shoop for Government Executive

Michigan: “Ballot Language Approved for Proposal to ‘Change the Culture’ of Lobbying in Michigan” by Malachi Barrett for MLive.com

Campaign Finance

California: “The New Thing for California Politicians? Sweet Charity” by Laurel Rosenhall for CalMatters

Massachusetts: “State Representative David Nangle Arrested on Charges of Using Campaign Funds to Fuel Alleged Gambling at Area Casinos” by Travis Anderson and Tonya Alanez for Boston Globe

Ethics

National: “DOJ Drops Probe into Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe” by Josh Gerstein for Politico

National: “Trump Commutes Former Illinois Gov. Blagojevich’s Sentence” by Michael Tarm for AP News

Arizona: “Migrant-Rights Advocates File Ethics Complaint Against Sen. Eddie Farnsworth After He Cuts Off Testimony” by Maria Polletta for Arizona Republic

Illinois: “Aldermen Relied on a Study to Approve $1.3 Billion for Sterling Bay’s Lincoln Yards. Turns Out That Sterling Bay Hired the Consultant Who Wrote It.” by Hal Dardick for Chicago Tribune

Michigan: “Ex-Detroit Metro Official Sentenced to 10 Years for Bribery” by Robert Snell for Detroit News

Lobbying

Canada: “Remicade Maker Janssen Recruits Former Doug Ford Adviser as Lobbyist” by Jill Mahoney and Kelly Grant for The Globe and Mail

Lawmakers introduced legislation to expand the definition of lobbying  to include promoting or opposing the passage of any local legislative matter by a unit of local government.

House Bill 5468, sponsored by Rep. Maurice A. West, defines local legislative matter as any bill, resolution, nomination, ordinance, or other issue or proposal pending before the unit of local government, its legislative body, or any committee, subcommittee, or commission.

If passed prior to June 1, the bill would become effective January 1, 2021.

If passed after to May 31, the bill would become effective June 1, 2021.

Campaign Finance

California: “Judge Set to OK Bulk of San Francisco Political Ad Disclosure Rules” by Nicholas Iovino for Courthouse News Service

Texas: “Donate or Leave: Harris County constable accused of pressuring employees for political contributions” by Zach Despart for Houston Chronicle

Ethics

California: “Gift SF Mayor Breed Received from Mohammed Nuru May Have Violated City Law” by Scott Shafer for KQED

Indiana: “Lawmaker Wants to Deregulate Wetlands. Her Family Once Was Cited for Bulldozing Them.” by Chris Sikich for Indianapolis Star

Maine: “Latest Resignation Leaves Maine Ethics Panel with Only 3 of 5 Seats Filled” by Scott Thistle for Portland Press Herald

New York: “NYC Councilman Andy King Faces New Allegations of Harassment and Misuse of Public Funds” by Anna Sanders for New York Daily News

West Virginia: “Death Threats and Illegal Voting: The war over a luxury resort in Harpers Ferry” by Peter Jamison (Washington Post) for MSN

Lobbying

Canada: “Stephen McNeil’s Meeting with Premier-Turned-Lobbyist Draws Fire” by Jean Laroche for CBC