National/Federal

At Def Con, Hackers and Lawmakers Came Together to Examine Holes in Election Security
Seattle Times – Taylor Telford (Washington Post) | Published: 8/12/2019

Hackers came had come to the DefCon computer security conference for a chance to probe voting machines used in U.S. elections. Def Con’s Voting Village, and the conference at large, has become a destination not only for hackers but also for lawmakers and members of the intelligence community trying to understand the flaws in the election system that allowed Russian hackers to intervene in the 2016 election and that could be exploited again in 2020. Harri Hursti, one of the event’s organizers, said almost all of the machines at the conference were still used in elections despite having well-known vulnerabilities that have been more or less ignored by the companies that sell them.

Donor with Deep Ukraine Ties Lent $500,000 to Biden’s Brother
Politico – Ben Schreckinger | Published: 8/15/2018

A donor with deep ties to Ukraine loaned Joe Biden’s younger brother $500, 000 at the same time the then-vice president oversaw U.S. policy toward the country. The 2015 loan came as Biden’s brother faced financial difficulties related to his acquisition of a multimillion-dollar vacation home, nicknamed “the Biden Bungalow,” in South Florida. There is no indication that the loan influenced Joe Biden’s official actions, but it furthers a decades-long pattern by which relatives of the former vice president have leaned on his political allies for money and otherwise benefited financially from the Biden name.

Hickenlooper Drops Presidential Bid, Says He’ll Give ‘Serious Thought’ to a Senate Run
Roll Call – Griffin Connolly | Published: 8/15/2019

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper ended his campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination and said he will consider a run against U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner in a battleground state that Democrats need to win to take control of the chamber. Hickenlooper, who espouses a tempered brand of liberal politics, failed to gain much national traction in his presidential bid. By the time he dropped out, he was not on pace to reach the 130,000-donor benchmark to qualify for the next presidential debates. If he enters the Senate race, Hickenlooper will become the immediate front-runner in a Democratic primary field that already has 12 candidates.

How a Trump Ally Tested the Boundaries of Washington’s Influence Game
MSN – Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) | Published: 8/13/2019

Elliot Broidy, who after having been shunned by some Republicans in the wake of his 2009 guilty plea to giving nearly $1 million in illegal gifts to New York State officials to help land a $250 million investment from the state’s pension fund, had worked himself into Donald Trump’s inner circle as a top fundraiser for his 2016 campaign and inauguration. The stature he suddenly assumed when Trump won the election allowed him to position himself as a premier broker of influence and access to the new administration. In the process, his international business came to overlap with his efforts to influence government policy in ways that have now made him the subject of an intensifying federal investigation. Broidy’s ascent was also further evidence of how Trump came to rely on people whose backgrounds and activities would have raised red flags in other campaigns and administrations.

‘If You’re a Good Worker, Papers Don’t Matter’: How a Trump construction crew has relied on immigrants without legal status
MSN – Joshua Partlow and David Fahrenthold (Washington Post) | Published: 8/9/2019

For years, a roving crew of Latin American employees has worked at Trump Organization properties throughout the country. Their ranks included workers who entered the United States illegally, according to two former members of the crew. Another employee, still with the company, said that remains true today. The hiring practices are the latest example of the chasm between President Trump’s derisive rhetoric about immigrants and his company’s long-standing reliance on workers who cross the border illegally. It also raises questions about how fully the Trump Organization has followed through on its pledge to more carefully scrutinize the legal status of its workers, even as the administration launched a massive raid of undocumented immigrants, arresting about 680 people in Mississippi recently.

Interior Centralizes Ethics Reviews After Recent High-Profile Probes
The Hill – Rebecca Beitsch | Published: 8/14/2019

The Department of the Interior will be centralizing ethics reviews across its many agencies at its headquarters, following years of ethics investigations centered on many of the department’s top staff. Ethics officials at the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and others will report to ethics officials based at Interior’s headquarters rather than agency directors. Scott de le Vega, director of Interior’s Departmental Ethics Office, said the change was designed to ensure department’s 70,000 employees are getting consistent ethics advice regardless of which branch of the department they serve. But ethics officials who reviewed the plan criticized its broad focus on all agency employees rather than the high-level officials currently being investigated for ethical lapses.

Lobbyists Race to Cash in on Cannabis Boom
The Hill – Alex Gangitano | Published: 8/11/2019

Lobbying firms are taking advantage of the cannabis boom as a number of bills on the industry move through Congress and state Legislatures. As businesses look for help dealing with new legislative and regulatory challenges, K Street is rushing to capitalize, highlighted by the highest-grossing firm, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, launching a new “Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Industry Group.”

Trial of Former Obama White House Counsel Gregory Craig Highlights Crackdown on Foreign-Influence Industry
Washington Post – Spencer Hsu | Published: 8/12/2019

In charging one of Washington, D.C.’s most prominent attorneys, Gregory Craig, with lying in connection with his work for the Ukraine government at a leading law firm, the Justice Department signaled a new era for the Foreign Agents Registration Act, a once nearly dormant law that since 2017 has been invoked in more than 20 federal prosecutions aimed at combating foreign interference in U.S. politics. The charge against Craig stems from his alleged public relations work, rather than lobbying, while with the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. He is accused not of failing to register as a foreign agent under the law, but with lying and withholding information from Justice officials seeking to determine whether he was required to register.

Trump’s Opponents Want to Name His Big Donors. His Supporters Say It’s Harassment.
MSN – Katie Rogers and Annie Karni (New York Times) | Published: 8/9/2019

Calling out the people who fund campaigns is not a new tactic in politics, but the question of how much should be publicly disclosed about those donors has been an issue that Republicans have repeatedly raised in recent years. While the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Citizens United case to uphold public disclosure, with Justice Antonin Scalia arguing later that without such revelation “democracy is doomed,” Republicans and wealthy allies have argued it results in donor harassment and has a chilling effect on free speech. The Supreme Court’s support for campaign finance disclosure laws has a built-in exemption for people who can show a realistic threat of harassment, and the renewed scrutiny on contributors to President Trump has also raised questions about what qualifies as donor harassment and who is entitled to privacy.

Canada

Canada – Trudeau Breached Conflict of Interest Act, Says Ethics Commissioner
Canada.com; Canadian Press –   | Published: 8/14/2019

Canada’s ethics commissioner, Mario Dion, found Prime Minister Justin Trudeau violated the Conflict of Interest Act by improperly pressuring former Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould to halt the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin. Dion said Trudeau’s attempts to influence Wilson-Raybould on the matter violated the law that prohibits public office holders from using their position to try to influence a decision that would improperly further the private interests of a third party. Dion found little doubt that SNC-Lavalin would have benefited had Trudeau succeeded in convincing Wilson-Raybould to overturn a decision by the director of public prosecutions, who had refused to invite the engineering giant to negotiate a remediation agreement in order to avoid a criminal prosecution on fraud charges related to contracts in Libya.

From the States and Municipalities

Alabama – Alabama Ethics Commission Says Airport Authority Employees Fall Under Ethics Law
AL.com – Mike Cason | Published: 8/7/2019

The Alabama Ethics Commission adopted an advisory opinion that employees of airport authorities are public employees and therefore subject to the state ethics law. Attorneys for the Birmingham and Huntsville airport authorities told the Ethics Commission that airport workers are not public employees because they are paid with funds generated by the airports, not with state, county, or municipal funds. The commission concluded otherwise. According to the opinion, the fees airport authorities collect from airlines, concessionaires, and other users of airport property are considered “state, county, or municipal funds” because the Legislature grants the authorities the ability to collect those fees for a specific public purpose.

Florida – Amid Misconduct Inquiry, NRA Lobbyist Marion Hammer Says She’s Not a Lobbyist
Florida Bulldog – Dan Christensen | Published: 8/15/2019

When is a registered lobbyist not a lobbyist in Florida? If powerful National Rifle Association (NRA) lobbyist Marion Hammer gets her way, it is when she says so. Hammer has been the NRA’s Florida lobbyist since at least2006, yet despite being paid handsomely – $270,000 last year alone – she has not filed with the Florida Senate any of the required quarterly compensation reports. Sen. Perry Thurston and Rep. Anna Eskamani filed formal complaints with the state ethics commission and Senate and House oversight authorities seeking investigations. Thurston has said Hammer “was indicating that she was a consultant and not a lobbyist” and therefore was not required to file lobbyist compensation reports.

Florida – Disney World Offers Florida Politicians a Sneak Peek at Star Wars Attraction, Spawning Ethics Questions
Orlando Sentinel – Steven Lemongello and Ryan Gillespie | Published: 8/15/2019

Walt Disney World invited state lawmakers and other officeholders to a “community leader preview” for its Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attraction. It is the hottest ticket in town not yet available to the general public. The event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is not free, with invitees needing to pay $170, plus $25 parking, to attend the three-hour preview. State ethics laws are strict about what public officials and employees can accept, stating they cannot “solicit or accept anything of value to the recipient, including a gift, loan, reward, promise of future employment, favor, or service, based upon any understanding that [their] vote, official action, or judgment … would be influenced thereby.” Disney spent $28 million on state elections during the 2018 cycle and lawmakers have dealt with numerous issues related to Disney. County and city officials also deal with Disney on a regular basis.

Florida – Florida’s ‘Broken’ Legislature: ‘Session too quick, term limits too short and lawmakers paid too little’
Orlando Sentinel – Steven Lemongello | Published: 8/12/2019

Critics have asked why Florida’s Legislature operates the way it does. It has one of the nation’s shortest sessions despite being the third-largest state, and some of the strictest term limits. Special sessions are generally rare, and the result is what Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith calls “a mad dash to sine die, with bills rushed through without being read and vetted by the public.” Many lawmakers and experts say the status quo is not going anywhere, either because they believe the process is working as intended or voters have no appetite for such reforms or for politicians adding years to their time in Tallahassee.

Florida – ‘No Probable Cause’ Matt Gaetz Violated Florida Bar Rules in Tweets at Michael Cohen
Tampa Bay Times – Steve Contorno | Published: 8/14/2019

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz will not face discipline from the Florida Bar for posting menacing messages on social media aimed at President Donald Trump’s lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen. Florida Bar spokesperson Francine Walker said the organization found “no probable cause” that Gaetz violated its rules for lawyers. The House ethics committee is also reviewing the incident.

Indiana – Inspector General OKs Casino Boss’s Private Flights for Gov. Eric Holcomb
Indianapolis Star – Tony Cook | Published: 8/8/2019

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb violated no ethics rules when a casino executive treated him to private jet flights last year. The flights in 2018 to Republican Governors Association events in Aspen, Colorado, and Scottsdale, Arizona, were together valued at more than $55,000. They gave Spectacle Entertainment Chief Executive Officer Rod Ratcliff and his business partners hours of exclusive access to Holcomb and his wife at a time when Ratcliff was seeking big changes to the state’s gaming laws that would benefit his company. Indiana Inspector General Lori Torres, who is appointed by Holcomb, determined the governor did not have to disclose the flights as a gift because they were designated as in-kind contributions to the Republican Governors Association, not to Holcomb.

Kentucky – Frankfort Resident Named Executive Director of Ky. Legislative Ethics Commission
State Journal; Staff –   | Published: 8/13/2019

Laura Hromyak Hendrix was tapped to serve as executive director of the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission following the retirement of John Schaaf. Hendrix, who presently serves as the commission’s legal counsel, will assume the post September 1. the post Sept. 1. “Laura’s knowledge of the ethics law and her legal experience will allow the commission to continue its tradition of advising on and enforcing the ethics laws in a fair and nonpartisan manner,” Commission Chairperson Anthony Wilhoit said.

Kentucky – Jerry Lundergan’s Trial Over Illegal Contributions to Daughter’s Campaign Begins Tuesday
Louisville Courier-Journal – Tom Loftus | Published: 8/12/2019

Jerry Lundergan, a prominent player in Kentucky Democratic Party politics for 40 years, faces trial on charges he conspired to funnel illegal corporate contributions to the campaign of his daughter, Alison Lundergan Grimes, for the U.S. Senate in 2014. Lundergan is also accused of falsifying campaign finance records to conceal what his indictment itemizes were more than $206,000 in services his company provided to Grimes’ campaign. Jurors in the case may hear arguments involving the complexities of campaign finance laws, the practices of how campaigns report contributions and expenses, and the impact of how court rulings have shaken up the world of campaign finance.

Michigan – ‘An Easy Sell’: Inman texts point to PAC dominance in Michigan politics
Detroit News – Jonathan Oosting | Published: 8/8/2019

Michigan Rep. Larry Inman was planning to vote against a controversial initiative to repeal the state’s prevailing wage law when a top House Republican aide shared a dire prediction. Democratic voters would not “come to your side” and “you will shut down any incentive for the big donors to give” to your reelection campaign, Dan Pero, chief of staff to then-House Speaker Tom Leonard, told Inman in a text on the day of the vote. The text messages, disclosed by federal prosecutors as Inman heads toward trial for allegedly trying to sell his vote to a union group opposed to the repeal, highlight the outsized influence interest group donors have on Michigan politics and how PAC contributions can influence legislative votes.

Michigan – Millions Meant for Repairing Michigan Roads Go Back to Trucking Industry
Detroit Free Press – Paul Egan | Published: 8/11/2019

Money from Michigan’s vehicle registration fees – close to $8 million since 2012 – is paid in grants to the Center for Truck Safety, a nonprofit charged with educating truckers and the public. It is an arm of the Michigan Trucking Association, the industry’s lobbying group that has fought efforts to reduce the state’s highest-in-the-nation gross weight limits for trucks. The center shares Lansing office space and has also shared employees with the association. It uses some of the state money to pay the lobbying organization rent, services such as legal advice and personnel management, and payments on a loan. Nearly all of the truck safety center’s officers and directors are also directors of the trucking association and the state briefly cut off funding to the center after finding some state money was being used to pay expenses related not to the safety center, but to the trucking association.

Missouri – Ex-St. Louis County Executive Gets Nearly 4 Years in Prison
AP News – James Saltzer | Published: 8/9/2019

Former St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger was sentenced to almost four years in prison and fined $250,000 for steering county business to a campaign donor in exchange for thousands of dollars in contributions. Stenger has also surrendered his law and accounting licenses and paid about $130,000 in restitution. Three others also pleaded guilty as part of the scheme – Stenger’s chief of staff, Bill Miller; businessperson John Rallo, who donated to Stenger’s campaign with the expectation his companies would get county contracts; and Sheila Sweeney, whom Stenger appointed as head of the county’s economic development agency.

Missouri – Missouri Police Chiefs Lobbyist Quits After Audit Blasts No-Bid Contract He Helped Secure
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Jack Suntrup | Published: 8/12/2019

Sheldon Lineback, the longtime lobbyist for the Missouri Police Chiefs Association, canceled his registration with the Missouri Ethics Commission after a state audit criticized his role in a no-bid contract scheme that cost taxpayers $74,000. Auditor Nicole Galloway said former Department of Public Safety Director Drew Juden steered a $58,000 contract to the Missouri Police Chiefs Charitable Foundation, which is associated with the police chiefs association. The contract was for providing fingerprinting equipment to local police departments, a job the Missouri State Highway Patrol had done in the past at no additional cost to the state. The group was allowed to keep $1.25 million in state money, meant for purchasing the equipment, in its coffers for eight months, costing the state approximately $16,000 in interest revenue, and presumably benefiting the nonprofit. Juden is the former president of the Missouri Police Chiefs Association.

Montana – Fed Appeals Court Upholds Montana’s Landmark Campaign-Finance Disclosure Law
AP News – Matt Volz | Published: 8/12/2019

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a provision of Montana’s campaign finance law, ruling any group distributing material that merely mentions a candidate within 60 days of an election can be required to register with the state and disclose its spending and, in some cases, its donors. The state law requires any group to register and file disclosures once it spends $250 or more on ads or mailers referring to a candidate, political party, or ballot issue within 60 days of an election. That includes organizations registered as nonprofits under section 501(c)4 of the tax law that generally are not required to disclose their donors and spending. The National Association of Gun Rights argued unsuccessfully that the U.S. Constitution bars states from requiring that kind of disclosure for informational ads, such as the kind it proposed mailing.

New Hampshire – Bipartisan Bill to Create Redistricting Panel Vetoed by New Hampshire Governor
Governing – Kevin Landrigan (Manchester Union Leader) | Published: 8/12/2019

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed a bill to create an independent commission proposed to come up with the best way to redraw legislative, congressional, and executive council districts after the 2020 elections. Sununu said the measure was well-intentioned but would have an “unaccountable” panel drawing these lines after they were picked by “party bosses.” This plan would allow lawmakers to vote on redistricting maps but would keep them out of the process of drawing them. Instead, maps would be created by a 15-member commission selected from a pool of applicants collected by the secretary of state.

New Hampshire – NH Attorney General: Contributions from limited partnerships, LLPs remain legal in state elections
WMUR – John DiStaso | Published: 8/9/2019

The New Hampshire attorney general’s office cleared the way for candidates for state offices to continue receiving contributions from corporate entities known as limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships. The office responded to a complaint filed against the Friends of Chris Sununu, the governor’s campaign operation, by Granite State Progress. It charged that three contributions to Sununu in 2017 violated a state law that includes donations by partnerships in a list of prohibited contributions. The group said Sununu’s campaign violated the law by accepting the money. Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Chong Yen said the office determined at least nine years ago that it could no longer enforce bans on contributions from partnerships and limited liability partnerships.

New Jersey – Two Unions Secretly Gave $3.6 Million to Phil Murphy’s Group During Millionaires Tax Push
Bergen Record – Ashley Balcerzak | Published: 8/11/2019

Two powerful unions donated a combined $3.6 million to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s secretive “dark money” nonprofit. The state’s largest teachers’ union, the New Jersey Education Association, wrote a $1 million check in April, a month after Murphy’s 2019 budget announcement the union called “progressive” and “people-focused.” That donation is on top of the $2.5 million the union gave to New Direction New Jersey in 2018. A local branch of the Service Employees International Union pitched in an additional $150,000 in June 2018. Officials with New Direction New Jersey had said it would report who was giving the group money. The nonprofit reversed its pledge later, citing a “toxic political environment,” and refused to name who bankrolled its push to pass Murphy’s priorities.

North Carolina – After El Paso, the ‘Send Her Back’ Chant Echoes to Some as a Prelude to Murder
MSN – Griff Witte (Washington Post) | Published: 8/13/2019

Samar Badwan, a Greenville, North Carolina resident, watched as 8,000 neighbors and fellow citizens jammed an arena to serenade President Trump with chants of “Send her back,” a response to Trump’s insistence that a Muslim, Somali American member of Congress should “go back” to the land of her birth. That visit, and that chant, continues to reverberate loudly in Greenville nearly a month later, particularly for those, like Badwan, who see themselves as targets of a campaign to whip up xenophobia and hate. After the El Paso shootings, in which 22 people were killed by a gunman who parroted Trump’s warnings about an “invasion” of immigrants, the words carry a particularly ominous resonance: as a prelude to murder.

North Dakota – Panel Picks Members of North Dakota Ethics Commission
Grand Forks Herald – John Hageman | Published: 8/8/2019

A committee charged with selecting members of North Dakota’s new state ethics commission finalized its picks, marking a major step toward implementing voter-approved rules against corruption. Their terms will begin September 1. Voters created the commission through a constitutional amendment last year. Despite criticisms of a Republican-backed implementation bill approved by state lawmakers this year, the commission will be able to write rules on transparency, corruption, elections, and lobbying as well as investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

North Dakota – Top North Dakota Officials Unfazed by State Money Awarded to Ethics Commissioner’s Tribal College
Grand Forks Herald – John Hageman | Published: 8/13/2019

North Dakota’s governor and Senate leaders were unfazed that one of their picks for the state’s new ethics commission leads a tribal college that has received more than $2 million in state grants in recent years, which one lawmaker argued is a conflict-of-interest. Cynthia Lindquist, president of the Cankdeska Cikana Community College, was selected as one of five members of the voter-approved ethics commission. Gov. Doug Burgum’s spokesperson said the governor’s office was aware the tribal college had received state dollars but noted it is primarily federally funded.

Oregon – The ACLU Helped Oregon Stay Awash in Campaign Cash. It’s Having Second Thoughts.
Portland Oregonian – Rob Davis | Published: 8/7/2019

The last time Oregon voters were asked whether campaign contributions should be limited, a prominent liberal group was among the most vocally opposed: The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon. It had an impact. Voters in 2006 said no. Thirteen years later, with a similar measure on campaign donations heading to voters next year at the behest of the state Legislature and Gov. Kate Brown, the ACLU has dropped its absolute opposition to contribution limits. The shift eliminates one major obstacle to ending Oregon’s outlier status as one of five states with no caps on campaign money.

Pennsylvania – Philly’s New Voting Machine Contract in Jeopardy Because Vendor Failed to Disclose Use of Lobbyists, Campaign Contributions
Philadelphia Inquirer – Jonathan Lai | Published: 8/14/2019

Philadelphia City Solicitor Marcel Pratt notified the acting board of elections that Election Systems & Software (ES&S) violated the law by failing to disclose its use of lobbyists and the lobbyists’ campaign contributions to the two city commissioners on the board who selected the company for a contract to provide new voting machines. If the board decides to continue with the contract, ES&S will be liable for a $2.9 million fine, Pratt said, adding that it has agreed to pay the penalty if the contract proceeds. Using lobbyists is not illegal, and Pratt noted ES&S could have disclosed the lobbying and the campaign contributions without being disqualified from the bidding and selection process. The other finalist, Dominion Voting Systems, also did not disclose its use of a lobbyist.

Pennsylvania – Pittsburgh-Area Lobbyist Charged with Defrauding Clients, Forging Grant Documents
WTAE – Bob Mayo | Published: 8/12/2019

Lobbyist Joseph Kuklis, chief executive officer of Wellington Strategies, was charged with running a corrupt organization, theft by deception, forgery, and fraudulent business practices by the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office. The criminal complaint says investigators seized records of Wellington Strategies and allegedly found evidence of forgeries in the trash of Kuklis’s home. Kuklis allegedly falsely represented to nonprofits and businesses that he had obtained state grants for them and forged letters and documents to mislead clients who paid him for his work.

Tennessee – As Tennessee Makes Voter Registration More Difficult, Activists Consider What’s Next
Governing – Matt Vasilogambros (Stateline) | Published: 8/14/2019

Less than a year after a coalition of groups, led by the nonprofit Tennessee Black Voter Project, conducted a statewide voter registration drive that accumulated 91,000 applications, activists face a daunting obstacle: A new state law that seeks to curb mass voter registration efforts by imposing criminal and financial penalties for turning in error-filled forms or failing to register with the state and undergo training. The new Tennessee law has nonprofits and voting rights activists scrambling ahead of the 2020 presidential election, as they attempt to understand new regulations that could lead to thousands of dollars in fines and even jail time.

Tennessee – Lawmakers, Political Groups Owe State $1.9M in Fines for Violating Campaign Finance, Ethics Rules
The Tennessean – Joel Ebert | Published: 8/14/2019

Two Tennessee agencies that serve as watchdogs of elected officials, candidates, and political organizations are owed nearly $1.9 million. The average Tennessean could lose their home, be subject to liens, face collections agencies, or go to jail if tickets or taxes go unpaid.  But that is not the case for the candidates, officials, and organizations that have been fined by the Registry of Election Finance and the Tennessee Ethics Commission. Instead, the state’s attorney general is tasked with collecting the two agencies’ unpaid fines.

Tennessee – State Election Registry to Formally Audit Bill Ketron’s Campaign Finance Reports
The Tennessean – Elaina Sauber | Published: 8/14/2019

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance formally authorized an audit of former state Sen. Bill Ketron and his campaign finance committees.  Those include his committee while seeking office as Rutherford County mayor, his state Senate committee, and his PAC. Ketron, who was elected Rutherford County mayor last year, faces $60,000 in unpaid civil penalties. The fines are primarily related to late filings of his campaign finance reports. Ketron and his campaign treasurer are responsible for ensuring campaign finance reports are filed on time. But his campaign treasurer and daughter, Kelsey Ketron, is facing her own financial troubles and possible criminal charges.

Texas – Texas Democrats Sue Over Secret Meeting Between House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, Empower Texans CEO
Dallas News – James Barragan | Published: 8/8/2019

The Texas Democratic Party is suing House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan, alleging they created an unregistered PAC and violated other state election laws. The lawsuit stems from a June meeting Sullivan had with Bonnen and Republican Caucus Chairperson Dustin Burrows. In the meeting, Sullivan has said, Bonnen and Burrows offered to give writers at his website, Texas Scorecard, House media credentials in the next legislative session in exchange for Sullivan’s political group targeting 10 GOP incumbents in next year’s primary elections. Sullivan said he rebuffed the offer. But Democrats allege that meeting and any agreements reached in it show a coordinated effort “between political actors intended to influence the election or defeat of specific candidates” and amounts to an unregistered political committee as defined by state law.

Utah – Draper City Council Candidate Booted from Race After Showing Up One Minute Past Filing Deadline
Salt Lake Tribune – Alison Berg | Published: 8/12/2019

When Hubert Huh received a call August 6 from his state representative, Jeffrey Stenquist, reminding him of the 5 p.m. deadline for filing a campaign finance disclosure form, Huh, a Draper City Council candidate, sped as fast as he could to City Hall with his form. Arriving at 5:01 p.m., the city recorder told him he was too late and would be disqualified from the race. The deadline was 5 p.m. Though Huh was only a minute past deadline, Draper spokesperson Maridene Alexander said the city follows the state code strictly, which requires a finance disclosure form be turned into the clerk or recorder’s office by 5 p.m. the day it is due.

Washington – Seattle Politics Without Corporate Money? Council Member Fires Off Long-Shot Proposal
Crosscut – David Kroman | Published: 8/14/2019

In an effort sure to face a bumpy legal road, Seattle City Councilperson Lorena González has drafted legislation aimed at stemming the growing influence of big money donors in municipal elections. The bill would limit how much donors could give to PACs while placing stricter regulations on how foreign money, including donations from U.S. companies with foreign owners, shapes city politics. It would also require PACs to disclose how their money is spent. The three proposals in González’s package share the goal of curbing the effect of money on local elections, a so-far quixotic effort to find gaps in the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which is credited with opening the floodgates on corporate contributions to elections.

Washington DC – D.C. Lawmaker Jack Evans Fined $20,000 in Ethics Case Involving Outside Work
Washington Post – Fenit Nirappil | Published: 8/8/2019

District of Columbia Councilperson Jack Evans was fined $20,000 by the city’s ethics agency for using government resources and touting his influence as an elected official while soliciting employment from local law firms. The settlement is the latest fallout for the city’s longest-serving lawmaker who has been embroiled in an ethics scandal. Emails that Evans sent from his council office showed he tried to land jobs at law firms in 2015 and 2018. In business proposals, he highlighted an ability to attract private clients as a lawmaker and as board chair of the regional transit agency. The Board of Ethics and Government Accountability determined there was “substantial evidence” Evans’ contact with the law firms violated rules that prohibit the use of government resources for personal reasons and using the prestige of office for private gain.

West Virginia – Welcome to the Greenbrier, the Governor-Owned Luxury Resort Filled with Conflicts of Interest
ProPublica – Ken Ward Jr. (Charleston Gazette-Mail) | Published: 8/15/2019

Ethics officials have said West Virginia laws never contemplated someone like Gov. Jim Justice. With his decision to hold his inauguration ball at The Greenbrier, a palatial resort the governor owns, Justice ushered in a new era of politics in West Virginia, one in which it is hard to tell where the governor’s business interests end, and state government begins. All told, more than $1 million, half of the inaugural fund, went to Justice’s Greenbrier Hotel Corp. The Greenbrier represents only a slice of Justice’s holdings, estimated to be worth as much as $1.5 billion. But the iconic resort’s outsized role in West Virginia politics has made it an unparalleled ethical thicket for the governor.

Wyoming – Wyoming Is Committed to a ‘Citizen Legislature.’ But the Format Can Limit Who Is Able to Participate.
Casper Star-Tribune – Nick Reynolds | Published: 8/12/2019

Wyoming’s citizen Legislature has always been a point of pride, harkening back to a simpler time in the state’s history where government was radically by the people, for the people. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, just 4 states – Wyoming, Montana, and the Dakotas – boast what can be considered “citizen Legislatures,” keeping the session limits short, the pay low, and legislative staff limited in order to shut out the trappings of big government. For opponents of a per diem raise for lawmakers, this is something worth preserving, both in maintaining the state’s culture of conservatism and by being fiscally prudent. But some believe the concept of the Legislature could use some updating, particularly as its members look less and less like the state they represent.

A bill requiring a person who makes payments of $10,000 or more for electioneering or issue lobbying communications to make specified disclosures has passed the Assembly and has been sent to the Senate.

Assembly Bill 1217 would require a person making payments for electioneering or issue lobbying communications to disclose the names of the persons providing the funding for those payments and to maintain records to verify the accuracy of the required disclosures.

The bill would also amend and update the definitions of electioneering communication and issue lobbying communication.

If passed, the bill will take effect immediately.

Campaign Finance

Washington: “Seattle Politics Without Corporate Money? Council Member Fires Off Long-Shot Proposal” by David Kroman for Crosscut

Ethics

Canada: “Trudeau Breached Conflict of Interest Act, Says Ethics Commissioner” by   for Canada.com; Canadian Press

Kentucky: “Frankfort Resident Named Executive Director of Ky. Legislative Ethics Commission” by   for State Journal; Staff

North Carolina: “After El Paso, the ‘Send Her Back’ Chant Echoes to Some as a Prelude to Murder” by Griff Witte (Washington Post) for MSN

North Dakota: “Top North Dakota Officials Unfazed by State Money Awarded to Ethics Commissioner’s Tribal College” by John Hageman for Grand Forks Herald

Tennessee: “Lawmakers, Political Groups Owe State $1.9M in Fines for Violating Campaign Finance, Ethics Rules” by Joel Ebert for The Tennessean

Lobbying

National: “How a Trump Ally Tested the Boundaries of Washington’s Influence Game” by Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) for MSN

Procurement

Pennsylvania: “Philly’s New Voting Machine Contract in Jeopardy Because Vendor Failed to Disclose Use of Lobbyists, Campaign Contributions” by Jonathan Lai for Philadelphia Inquirer

Campaign Finance

Montana: “Fed Appeals Court Upholds Montana’s Landmark Campaign-Finance Disclosure Law” by Matt Volz for AP News

New Hampshire: “NH Attorney General: Contributions from limited partnerships, LLPs remain legal in state elections” by John DiStaso for WMUR

Elections

National: “At Def Con, Hackers and Lawmakers Came Together to Examine Holes in Election Security” by Taylor Telford for Washington Post

Utah: “Draper City Council Candidate Booted from Race After Showing Up One Minute Past Filing Deadline” by Alison Berg for Salt Lake Tribune

Ethics

Alabama: “Alabama Ethics Commission Says Airport Authority Employees Fall Under Ethics Law” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Legislative Issues

Wyoming: “Wyoming Is Committed to a ‘Citizen Legislature.’ But the Format Can Limit Who Is Able to Participate.” by Nick Reynolds for Casper Star-Tribune

Lobbying

Missouri: “Missouri Police Chiefs Lobbyist Quits After Audit Blasts No-Bid Contract He Helped Secure” by Jack Suntrup for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Pennsylvania: “Pittsburgh-Area Lobbyist Charged with Defrauding Clients, Forging Grant Documents” by Bob Mayo for WTAE

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) launched new search function capabilities from its lobbying application.

JCOPE website users can now choose “Lobbying Focus” to search for recorded lobbying on specific bills, resolutions, and regulations at both the state and municipal levels.

The new “Parties Lobbied” tool allows users to see which specific agencies or lawmakers were lobbied and on what subject.

The public search is available at https://jcope.ny.gov/lobby-data-demand.

Campaign Finance

Kentucky: “Jerry Lundergan’s Trial Over Illegal Contributions to Daughter’s Campaign Begins Tuesday” by Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier-Journal

New Jersey: “Two Unions Secretly Gave $3.6 Million to Phil Murphy’s Group During Millionaires Tax Push” by Ashley Balcerzak for Bergen Record

Ethics

Missouri: “Ex-St. Louis County Executive Gets Nearly 4 Years in Prison” by James Saltzer for AP News

Legislative Issues

Florida: “Florida’s ‘Broken’ Legislature: ‘Session too quick, term limits too short and lawmakers paid too little’” by Steven Lemongello for Orlando Sentinel

Lobbying

National: “Lobbyists Race to Cash in on Cannabis Boom” by Alex Gangitano for The Hill

National: “Trial of Former Obama White House Counsel Gregory Craig Highlights Crackdown on Foreign-Influence Industry” by Spencer Hsu for Washington Post

Michigan: “Millions Meant for Repairing Michigan Roads Go Back to Trucking Industry” by Paul Egan for Detroit Free Press

Redistricting

New Hampshire: “Bipartisan Bill to Create Redistricting Panel Vetoed by New Hampshire Governor” by Kevin Landrigan (Manchester Union Leader) for Governing

National/Federal

Campaigns Say They’ll Match Political Contributions. It’s Not Clear How They Would Do That
Center for Responsive Politics – Jessica Piper | Published: 8/2/2019

Matching – when campaigns tell donors that their contributions will be equaled or multiplied by an unknown source – has emerged as a relatively common fundraising tool among groups across the political spectrum in recent years. Limited-time matching gives ideological supporters extra incentive to contribute to a campaign they care about. But legal experts say it is hard to see how donation matching could happen given campaign contribution limits. And there are no accountability mechanisms to determine whether campaigns actually follow through with their promises.

Cesar Sayoc Gets 20 Years for Mail-Bomb Spree
Courthouse News Service – Adam Klasfeld | Published: 8/5/2019

Last October, a fanatical devotee of President Donald Trump mailed out bombs to perceived critics, and, prosecutors say, reveled in the national headlines as those attacks terrorized a nation. Defense attorneys attributed Cesar Sayoc’s mail-bomb activity in part to fervor for Trump’s rhetoric. Prosecutors characterized his spree as a “two-week terrorist attack.” In sentencing Cesar Sayoc to 20 years in prison, a federal judge emphasized the need to look closely at both the crimes and their perpetrator. “It is perhaps then not surprising that someone of Mr. Sayoc’s emotionally fragile nature not only became infatuated with a public figure, in this case Donald Trump, but also came to view Mr. Trump’s political opponents as demons who were out to destroy not just Mr. Trump but Mr. Sayoc as well,” said U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff.

De Blasio Pulled in a Cash Cushion from Unusual Campaign Finance Setup
Politico – Joe Anuta and Sally Goldenberg | Published: 8/7/2019

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s struggling presidential campaign benefited from a six-figure boost unavailable to candidates who set up routine exploratory committees and the move has already resulted in formal complaints to the FEC. An analysis found the mayor accepted roughly $234,000 in additional contributions from 37 donors who had already given the maximum permissible amount to his campaign account – $2,800 for a primary race. Those donors went above the federally established limit by giving to two PACs that assisted in the presidential effort but were not governed by the same rules. The extra money helped him explore a run for president without setting up a formal exploratory committee.

DNC Rules Could Expand, Not Shrink, Future Debate Stage
Politico – Zach Montellaro | Published: 8/5/2019

Democratic presidential hopefuls at risk of being elbowed out by the debate rules may have gotten a last-minute reprieve. To reach the stage, candidates have to get two percent in four Democratic National Committee (DNC) -approved polls and have 130,000 unique donors. That is a bar the majority of field has not hit and is not on track to do so. But a DNC memo sent to all the campaigns essentially gives those candidates who miss the September debate more time to qualify for the October debate, which could very well feature more candidates, not fewer.

El Paso Shooting Suspect’s Manifesto Echoes Trump’s Language
MSN – Peter Baker and Michael Shear (New York Times) | Published: 8/4/2019

At campaign rallies before last year’s midterm elections, President Trump repeatedly warned that America was under attack by immigrants heading for the border. “You look at what is marching up, that is an invasion!” he declared at one rally. Nine months later, a 21-year-old white man is accused of opening fire in a Walmart in El Paso, killing 22 people and injuring dozens more after writing a manifesto railing against immigration and announcing that “this attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas.” The suspect wrote that his views “predate Trump,” as if anticipating the political debate that would follow the carnage. But if Trump did not originally inspire the gunman, he has brought into the mainstream polarizing ideas and people once consigned to the fringes of American society.

House Democrats File Lawsuit to Enforce Subpoena Against McGahn
The Hill – Olivia Beavers, Jacqueline Thomsen, and Morgan Chalfant | Published: 8/7/2019

House Judiciary Committee Chairperson Jerrold Nadler filed a civil lawsuit to enforce a subpoena for testimony from Don McGahn, the former White House counsel who at the Trump administration’s direction defied lawmakers’ request to appear before the committee. Lawyers for Judiciary Committee Democrats described McGahn as both “critical” and the “most important fact witness” before the lawsuit was filed, noting he witnessed key obstruction episodes examined by special counsel Robert Mueller. Those incidents include President Trump ordering McGahn to remove the special counsel in the middle of his investigation, which McGahn refused to do, and Trump directing McGahn to create a false record surrounding the incident.

How Gun Control Groups Are Catching Up to the N.R.A.
MSN – Reid Epstein, Maggie Astor, and Danny Hakim (New York Times) | Published: 8/4/2019

The political momentum in the gun control debate has shifted in the year leading up to the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, with gun control advocates taking a more empowered stance and the National Rifle Association (NRA) consumed by internal power struggles. The major gun control organizations, propelled by funding from wealthy supporters and grassroots networks across the country, have helped enact new laws, and, for the first time in 25 years, passed a significant gun control bill in the House. But the NRA’s structural advantages, built over decades and defended by President Trump and congressional Republicans, remain in place. The net effect is a playing field on gun issues that is far more level than it has been since NRA-backed Republicans took over Congress in 1994.

Joaquin Castro Tweeted the Names of Top Trump Donors. Republicans Say It Will Encourage Violence.
Philadelphia Inquirer – Michael Brice-Saddler (Washington Post) | Published: 8/6/2019

The 44 names that U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Tex.) tweeted have at least two things in common: they are all constituents in his district, and moreover, they all donated the maximum amount to President Trump’s campaign this year. The congressman and brother of presidential hopeful Julián Castro said the people listed – including retirees, business owners, and other individuals whose names are public record – were “fueling a campaign of hate.” Republican lawmakers and others contended Castro was “targeting” the listed donors by tweeting their names to his thousands of followers; a serious accusation in the aftermath of two mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton that left 31 people dead and many more wounded.

Judge Dismisses 1 of 2 Charges Against Greg Craig
Politico – Josh Gerstein and Theodoric Meyer | Published: 8/6/2019

Greg Craig, a who served as the first White House counsel in the Obama administration, scored a pretrial win as a judge threw out one of two charges in a false-statement case against him stemming from former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson concluded that a 2013 letter he sent to the Justice Department’s Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) office was not part of any formal FARA filing, so could not be the basis for a charge under a law barring false FARA submissions. Despite the defense’s victory on that point, Craig is still set to face a jury trial on another false-statement charge relating to what prosecutors say was an attempt to deceive investigators about his role in promoting a report he prepared on behalf of the Ukrainian government in 2012 about its corruption prosecution of former President Yulia Tymoshenko.

McConnell’s Campaign Locked Out by Twitter for Posting Critic’s Profanity-Laced Video
Louisville Courier-Journal – Ben Tobin and Phillip Bailey | Published: 8/7/2019

After sharing a video of a profanity-laced protest, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s campaign Twitter account, Team Mitch, has been locked out. Twitter’s policy states that users “may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people” and the social network prohibits “the glorification of violence.” The video shows a group of protesters gathered outside McConnell’s Louisville home. Black Lives Matter Louisville leader Chanelle Helm is heard on the video mocking McConnell’s recent shoulder injury and saying he “should have broken his little, raggedy, wrinkled-ass neck.” She then yells, “Just stab the m—– f—– in the heart, please.” Someone also yells, “Die!”

Proposed FEC Rule Would Further Constrain Foreign Election Contributions
National Public Radio – Philip Ewing | Published: 8/1/2019

The FEC proposed new rules to outlaw exchanges like the one that took place when a Russian delegation visited Trump Tower in 2016 to offer Donald Trump’s campaign “dirt” on Democrats. Although U.S. law already forbids contributions from foreigners to American political campaigns, President Trump has said the meeting taken by his son, Donald Trump Jr., and others was business as usual and that everybody in politics accepts “opposition research.” There is a difference, though, between material obtained by specialists working for a campaign and information provided by a foreign government, FEC Chairperson Ellen Weintraub says. She restated that distinction earlier this year and the new rule would refine it even more precisely with a written description of what is forbidden.

Puerto Rico Supreme Court Ousts New Governor, and Another Is Sworn In
New York Times – Alejandra Rosa, Patricia Mazzei, and Frances Robles | Published: 8/7/2019

The uneasy calm that had settled over Puerto Rico after huge protests brought down one governor and a second one was installed in his place ended when its Supreme Court ruled the only way to maintain the constitutional order was to swear in the island’s third governor in a week. After the ruling, Pedro Pierluisi, who had filled the position since August 2, stepped down. Wanda Vázquez, the former secretary of justice, took the oath as governor, just the second woman to hold the office. And Puerto Rico was thrust into a new period of political tumult over how long the unpopular Vázquez might remain on the job, and what machinations might be underway to prepare for her possible succession.

The Darkest Money in Washington: Business groups spend more on advocacy and consulting than lobbying
MapLight.org – Andrew Perez, Abigail Luke, and Tim Zelina | Published: 8/6/2019

The IRS has approved thousands of applications for nonprofit status for groups known as 501(c)(6) organizations, which range from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which spends more on lobbying than any other trade organization, to the Washington State Society of Anesthesiologists. Their influence has grown since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision allowed them to spend directly on politics. The groups spent $535 million on lobbying in 2017 and as much as another $675 million on unregulated efforts to influence public policy. The figures highlight how business interests can exploit loopholes in lobbying rules, which do not cover many staples of modern influence campaigns, such as strategic consulting, media relations, and social media posts, or even the financing of so-called astroturf campaigns.

Trump Judges Face Scrutiny Over President’s Cases
The Hill – Naomi Jagoda and Jacqueline Thomsen | Published: 8/4/2019

Federal judges nominated by President Trump are facing a major public test as they handle cases that involve Trump personally or some of his most controversial policies. New judges are already under pressure to carefully issue rulings as they learn the ropes of the federal judiciary. But three recently appointed District Court judges in the District of Columbia have found themselves and their rulings under a magnifying glass as they deal with cases involving Trump. All three of the Trump-tapped judges have acted as their colleagues on the bench typically do, proceeding cautiously in the recent cases. And while legal experts disagreed over whether the judges are facing additional pressure over their rulings, they agreed there is more attention on the cases, at least in the media.

Canada

Canada – No Criminal Charges in Allegations of Illegal Lobbying by Ford Advisers but OPP Refer Case to Ethics Watchdog
The Globe and Mail – Jim Mahoney | Published: 8/2/2019

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) completed its review of allegations of illegal lobbying by advisers to Premier Doug Ford and referred the matter to the province’s ethics watchdog. Investigators launched the review after an independent member of Provincial Parliament, Randy Hillier, alleged he was expelled from the Progressive Conservative caucus in part for raising concerns “of possible illegal and unregistered lobbying by close friends and advisers employed by Premier Ford.” Hillier said Ontario’s ethics laws are lacking and noted the Integrity Commissioner, rather than the OPP, has jurisdiction to investigate alleged misconduct under the Lobbyists Registration Act, which has a maximum penalty of a two-year lobbying ban.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – ‘Dark Money’ Expansion Remains on Hold While Court Decides Future of Law
Arizona Daily Star – Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) | Published: 8/5/2019

A judge will not let Arizona enforce a law opening the door for more “dark money” in campaigns while it appeals his ruling that the statute is unconstitutional. In a new ruling, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David Palmer rejected claims by an attorney for the state that it would be too confusing for organizations the Legislature exempted from campaign finance laws in 2017 to now have to obey those laws for the 2020 election. The judge instead sided with attorney Jim Barton, representing the Arizona Advocacy Network that challenged the 2017 law. He told Palmer it would be wrong to run the 2020 election under a law that, at least according to the judge, is unconstitutional.

California – Insurance Commissioner Accepted, Returned More Cash from Insurers Than Previously Known
San Diego Union-Tribune – Jeff McDonald | Published: 7/31/2019

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara accepted tens of thousands of dollars in additional political contributions from insurers than was previously known, according to a state-mandated campaign filing. The Ricardo Lara for Insurance Commissioner 2022 committee reported that it refunded $83,000 in donations during the six months ending on June 30. Lara was elected state insurance commissioner in November after pledging not to accept campaign funds from insurance companies. Recently he decided to return some $54,000 from insurance executives or their spouses after The San Diego Union-Tribune reported those contributions in early July. Lara also said in the wake of that report he would no longer serve as his own campaign treasurer.

California – Trump Wants to Keep His Tax Returns Private, Asks Courts to Stop California Law
Los Angeles Times – John Myers | Published: 8/6/2019

California’s first-in-the-nation law requiring presidential primary candidates to release their tax returns or be kept off the ballot was challenged in federal court by President Trump, the man who inspired its passage and whose attorneys argued state Democratic leaders had overstepped their constitutional authority. The lawsuit insists California cannot impose limits on ballot access for presidential hopefuls. Legal scholars have offered mixed opinions as to the constitutionality of Senate Bill 27. Some suggested because state Legislatures are given wide berth by the U.S. Constitution in choosing presidential electors, the law could be seen as a logical extension of that power. Others said the law could be thrown out on the same grounds as previous efforts in other states to link a congressional incumbent’s ballot access to how many terms the person had already served in the House.

Colorado – Aurora Lawmakers Unanimously Pass Wide-Reaching City Ethics Law
Sentinel Colorado – Madison Lauterbach | Published: 8/6/2019

Aurora lawmakers unanimously passed an ordinance creating an ethics commission and rules for local elected and select city officials. Prior to the vote, the ordinance would have prohibited city council members and the mayor from accepting gifts valued at more than $75. But Councilperson Charlie Richardson proposed that number be changed to $300 to keep “on the same page with Denver.” The ordinance will create an independent panel of retired judges tasked with investigating ethics complaints. The measure also sets out a variety of rules and standards intended to prevent council members from engaging in conflicts-of-interest.

Colorado – Colorado Approved a National Popular Vote Law. Now It Might Be Repealed.
Beaumont Enterprise – Emily Davies (Washington Post) | Published: 8/2/2019

Just a few months ago, Colorado agreed to radically rethink the way the president is chosen in the United States. The state joined a compact to award its electoral votes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote. The plan would become law if states representing 270 electors join, ensuring the popular vote winner the presidency. (So far, 16 states, representing 196 electors, have joined.) That decision, approved by the state’s Democratic governor in March, prompted a serious backlash that culminated, when activists submitted a petition to repeal the law by referendum in 2020.

Colorado – New State Ethics Commissioner Debra Johnson Previously Investigated for Workplace Misconduct
Colorado Public Radio – Bente Berkeland | Published: 8/5/2019

A recently confirmed member of the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission was investigated in 2016 for workplace harassment, ultimately agreeing to undergo counseling and spend six months away from an office she oversaw to avoid contact with employees who complained about her conduct. The investigation of former Denver Clerk and Recorder Debra Johnson, and the resulting agreement, have not previously been known to the public. The city said there were no records of settlement payments made to Clerk’s office employees who may have complained about Johnson and Johnson now denies she harassed staff, though she apologized to a staff member soon after a complaint was made. “Allegations are allegations until they’re proven otherwise, and they were never proven otherwise,” Johnson said.

Florida – Curbelo’s Campaign and Office Paid $390K to a Friend Who Is Now His Business Partner
Miami Herald – Alex Daugherty | Published: 8/2/2019

During his final two years in office and for several months afterward, former U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo paid a Miami dentist and childhood friend with no political experience nearly $400,000 for political consulting, according to recent campaign records. And since losing his seat last November, he has spent thousands of dollars from his leadership PAC – called “What a Country!” – on wine and high-end restaurants. Now, Curbelo’s friend, JP Chavez, is his business partner in a communications and public affairs startup venture called Vocero LLC.

Florida – Former Jacksonville Public Defender Gave Away Guns, Money after Failed Re-election
Florida Times Union – Andew Pantazi | Published: 8/1/2019

After former Jacksonville Public Defender Matt Shirk was ousted from office in 2016, he spent or gave away tens of thousands of dollars on himself and his friends, including handing nine state-owned firearms to a motorcycle club without documentation. A new audit details the repeated ways that Shirk violated state law or policy before and after his failed re-election bid. Public records went missing during his final months in office. In one case, he gave away 10 computers just two days before leaving office. When the computers were recovered, the hard drives had been removed and wiped clean.

Florida – Scott Maddox, Florida’s Former Democratic Chair, Pleads Guilty in Probe
Tampa Bay Times – Dara Kam (News Service of Florida) | Published: 8/6/2019

After reaching a plea deal with federal prosecutors, suspended Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox admitted guilt to three fraud charges in a “pay-to-play” probe. Under the guilty plea, prosecutors dropped 39 of 42 charges against Maddox, a former Florida Democratic Party chairperson nabbed in a multi-year investigation into city government. Maddox’s longtime aide and former business partner, Paige Carter-Smith, also pleaded guilty to the same three charges as Maddox. Carter-Smith and Maddox admitted to soliciting payments from a ride-sharing company in exchange for favorable actions from the city commission. The court documents show “Company B” paid a Carter-Smith business a total of $30,000 and her businesses paid Maddox approximately $40,000 during the same time period.

Georgia – How a Criminal Investigation in Georgia Set an Ominous Tone for African American Voters
Yahoo News – John Ward | Published: 8/5/2019

Under the direction of Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, Nancy Dennard and 11 of her political allies were arrested and charged with for voter fraud in 2010. To Dennard and her allies, who became known as the Quitman 10+2, the reasons for their arrests were simple. They were black candidates who won an election in the Deep South, upsetting a white-dominated power structure. “They thought they could make an example out of me, and that would kill the spirit of this movement,” said Dennard. Yet the mug shots taken at the jail that first day of African Americans wearing orange jumpsuits would be an enduring image. That perceived threat of organized voter fraud has been used for the past decade by Republicans to enact a series of measures in many states that have made it harder to vote. Kemp had been one of the most aggressive politicians involved in purging voters from the rolls.

Illinois – Illinois Pushes Millions Toward Securing Its Election Systems
Government Technology – Rick Pearson (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 8/5/2019

Three years after Illinois’ voter registration database was infiltrated by Russian hackers, state and local officials are spending millions to upgrade the defenses protecting voters and their ballots leading up to the 2020 election. Efforts to prevent foreign hacking range from hiring Internet security specialists to, in the case of Chicago and Cook County, making plans to buy new polling machines. The breach of the state’s voter database remains the warning sign for election system vulnerability, with national security experts now saying all 50 states had been targeted for Russian intrusion. At least 21 states reported being contacted by addresses associated with Russia, largely by scanning public websites, but Illinois’ data breach was the most significant.

Iowa – The Iowa State Fair Can Make – or Break – a Presidential Candidate
Beaumont Enterprise – Holly Bailey (Washington Post) | Published: 8/6/2019

The Iowa State Fair is a rite of passage for anyone with White House aspirations, a photo op that often serves up funny and weird moments – and sometimes political catastrophe. The 11-day event is a political obstacle course that has been damaging to a number of candidates, establishing a narrative that when set is often hard to shake. It will be especially challenging this year, as candidates struggle to strike the right tone while the nation contends with the aftermath of the shootings in El Paso and Dayton.

Massachusetts – Two City Hall Officials Convicted of Conspiring to Extort Boston Calling Founders
Boston Globe – Maria Cramer | Published: 8/7/2019

Two top aides to Boston Mayor Martin Walsh were convicted of conspiring to extort organizers of the Boston Calling music festival. Kenneth Brissette, the city’s director of tourism, and Timothy Sullivan, chief of intergovernmental affairs, resigned shortly after they were found guilty of strong-arming the festival into hiring union workers in 2014. Federal prosecutors said they leaned on concert organizers to promote Walsh’s political agenda and exploited the organizers’ fear that city officials might shut down the popular event if they failed to comply. Lawyers for Brissette and Sullivan argued the aides had no control over the concert’s permits and prosecutors were criminalizing the ordinary give-and-take of city politics. Legal specialists considered the prosecution novel, pushing against the limits of the Hobbs Act, the federal law that defines extortion.

Michigan – GOP Group Sues to Block Michigan Redistricting Commission
The Hill – Reid Wilson | Published: 7/30/2019

A national Republican group helmed by former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker filed a federal lawsuit aimed at blocking a redistricting commission that Michigan voters approved by a wide margin last year. The lawsuit seeks to knock down Proposition 2, which shifted responsibility for redrawing district boundaries from the state Legislature to a citizen commission. The proposition bars anyone who ran for office or worked on political campaigns or as a lobbyist within the last six years from serving on the commission, as well as parents, spouses, and children of those who worked in politics. The suit alleges the exclusionary rules violate First Amendment rights of free speech and 14th Amendment rights to equal protection.

Minnesota – Veterans Charity Under Scrutiny after DOC Official Suspected of Lobbying for Her Husband
St. Paul Pioneer Press – Dave Orrick | Published: 8/3/2019

A Minneapolis nonprofit that aims to help military veterans accused of crimes has come under scrutiny for how it uses taxpayer funds and ties to an embattled former state official. The Veterans Defense Project, which has received nearly $450,000 in state taxpayer funds since 2017, will be the subject of a “special review” by the state legislative auditor. The probe will officially tackle questions that were simmering quietly among some quarters of the Capitol but were thrust into the spotlight when Sarah Walker resigned from her position as deputy commissioner of the Department of Corrections amid an internal probe into whether she was improperly lobbying for the charity. Walker, a longtime lobbyist before she was appointed to the state position in January, is married to Brock Hunter, who co-founded the nonprofit.

Missouri – Stenger Scandal Prompts St. Louis County Council to Block Pensions for Those Convicted of Corruption
St. Louis Public Radio – Chad Davis | Published: 8/6/2019

St. Louis County elected officials and employees who are found guilty of corruption will not be able to collect their pensions. The county council voted unanimously to revoke the pension benefits of those convicted of public corruption such as bribery. Councilperson Tim Fitch said the bill would apply to former County Executive Steve Stenger. The proposal was introduced several weeks after Stenger resigned and pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges.

New York – Assemblyman: ‘Great displeasure’ with ethics probe of alleged rape victim
Albany Times Union – Chris Bragg | Published: 8/7/2019

The former chairperson of the New York Assembly Ethics Committee wrote to state ethics regulators expressing “great displeasure” over their inquiry into Kat Sullivan, an alleged rape victim who lobbied for legislation aiding other child sex abuse victims. The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) has repeatedly contacted Sullivan to get her to register as a lobbyist. With Sullivan refusing, she is now facing a vote by commissioners that would initiate a formal investigation into whether she spent more the more than $5,000 on lobbying in 2018. The investigation could result in Sullivan facing penalties up to $25,000 for each violation. “… This is not the kind of investigative action I intended to be pursued when I voted for the bill that was enacted into law establishing JCOPE,” Assemblyperson Charles Lavine wrote.

New York – When de Blasio’s Daughter Moved, His Security Detail Carried the Futon
New York Times – Jeffrey Mayes and J. David Goodman | Published: 8/7/2019

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has spoken extensively about New York being a “tale of two cities,” a place where the privileged had all the advantages, and the working class and poor had none. But for all of his focus on income inequality, his mayoralty has been dogged by questions of whether his personal behavior contradicts his political message. The latest example came as city officials acknowledged that last year the New York Police Department executive protection unit assigned to guard de Blasio and his family helped his daughter move her belongings from an apartment in Brooklyn to Gracie Mansion. Using city resources for personal use is typically a violation of the Conflicts of Interest Law and having police detectives assist in a relative’s move would seem to cross ethical lines, according to Citizens Union Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum.

North Carolina – Former Rep. Rodney Moore Pleads Guilty in Campaign Finance Case, Gets Probation
Charlotte Observer – Jim Morrill | Published: 8/1/2019

Former North Carolina Rep. Rodney Moore, who was indicted on nine felony counts involving false campaign reports, was handed a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to a single count. Moore pleaded guilty to one felony count of making felony false statements under oath. Superior Court Judge Lisa Bell sentenced him to up to five months in prison but suspended the sentence pending his completion of 12 months of unsupervised probation. Moore was indicted on counts involving filing false campaign reports after investigators found he failed to report more than $141,000 in campaign contributions and expenditures. Authorities said he failed to disclose tens of thousands of dollars in political contributions and campaign expenses, including money for movie tickets, dry cleaning, and car washes.

North Carolina – UNC System Head Didn’t List Corporate Board Seats That Paid Millions on Ethics Forms
Charlotte Observer – Nick Ochsner | Published: 8/7/2019

William Roper, the interim president of the University of North Carolina system and former longtime chief executive officer of the UNC Health Care System, failed to disclose his seats on the boards of major corporations between 2011 and 2019, at the same time as those corporations did business with the state, records show. In January, Roper took the helm of the UNC System as interim president. In that same time, Roper has served on the board of directors of DaVita, a company that provides dialysis services. Roper has also been a member of the board of directors of three successor companies in the pharmacy benefits administration industry. None of his corporate board service was disclosed on state ethics forms until recently, when Roper filed amended forms in response to an inquiry from reporters.

Oregon – Paid Ballots and More Disclosure Are Coming to Oregon Elections
Oregon Public Broadcasting – Dirk VanderHart | Published: 8/2/2019

Gov. Kate Brown ensured that Oregonians will be able to mail their ballots for free in elections beginning next year, and that voters could have more information about who is funding political ads. The governor also signed a bill requiring “dark money” groups to disclose large donors, but that provision will not become operative until December 2020. House Bill 2716, which takes effect immediately, requires advertisements supporting or opposing a candidate to disclose who funded them. In the case of ads funded by non-candidate PACs, the bill also requires the disclosure of the top five donors who have contributed at least $10,000 to those groups.

Texas – Anti-Discrimination Official Removed by Council One Month After Racist Posts Surface
Fort Worth Star-Telegram – Luke Ranker | Published: 8/6/2019

The Fort Worth City Council voted to remove Mike Steele from the city’s Human Relations Commission, which he had been a member of since 2015. In July, members of the commission voted to recommend the council remove him after Facebook posts attacking transgender people, Muslims, and immigrants surfaced. The commission is designed to manage issues surrounding racial, religious, or ethnic discrimination in Fort Worth and advise the council on possible changes to city policy. The city’s guidelines for board and commission positions are relaxed, lacking even a social media policy. Beyond avoiding conflicts-of-interest, the expectation is that “those who serve in these positions conduct themselves in a civil manner,” the city said in a statement.

Texas – Ex-Dallas Superintendent Gets 7 Years in Bribery Scheme
Courthouse News Service – David Lee | Published: 8/7/2019

The disgraced former superintendent of the Dallas County Schools bus agency was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for accepting over $3 million in bribes in exchange for awarding $70 million in school bus stop-arm camera contracts that ultimately bankrupted the agency. Rick Sorrells pleaded guilty last year to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. Prosecutors accused Sorrells of spending the money on expensive jewelry, Porsche and Maserati sports cars, trips, and an apartment in New Orleans.

Texas – Texas Faces Turbulent Political Moment
The Hill – Reid Wilson | Published: 8/6/2019

For a quarter century, Texas Republicans have run a ruby-red state, building a conservative bastion where government is limited. Now, the mounting tensions of racially motivated rhetoric, a polarizing president, and Republican infighting have rocked the state’s political leadership. And it may soon face a tipping point brought on by shifting coalitions of voters who want change, in Austin and Washington., D.C. The tumult is creating turnover that has startled even the closest observers of Texas politics.

Washington DC – Metro Reverses Its Decision to Ban Advertisements for Art Exhibition on the Migrant Crisis
Washington Post – Peggy McGlone | Published: 8/6/2019

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) reversed its decision to reject the advertising campaign for the Phillips Collection’s exhibition, “The Warmth of Other Suns: Stories of Global Displacement.” The WMATA this spring rejected the ad campaign for the 11-week exhibition, which examines global migration. It cited guidelines that prohibit advertisements “intended to influence members of the public regarding an issue on which there are varying opinions” and those “intended to influence public policy.” In 2015, the transit agency adopted guidelines that banned issue-oriented advertisements, as well as those related to religion and politics. The ban has been subject of several lawsuits.

Wyoming – Tribal Leaders Knew of Anti-Regulatory Lobbying Effort, Documents and 2 Council Members Say
Casper Star-Tribune – Chris Aadland and Nick Reynolds | Published: 8/4/2019

Northern Arapaho tribal leaders knew of, and approved, a secretive lobbying effort to defeat legislative attempts to regulate gambling in the state, despite claims that a rogue lobbyist undertook the project without their knowledge. Documents and interviews with those aware of the effort indicate the Northern Arapaho Business Council agreed to fund the creation of a group, the Wyoming Public Policy Center. The lobbying effort aggressively opposed proposals to legalize gambling in Wyoming during the 2019 legislative session to protect its three casinos, the tribe’s most important economic assets. Those proposals were defeated, but lawmakers have since resurrected an attempt at regulating gambling.

The City Council unanimously passed Ordinance 2019-26, instituting several major changes to city ethics law.

The ordinance establishes an ethics board, to be staffed by an independent panel of retired judges, to investigate potential violations and conflicts of interests.

Additionally, the ordinance bars gifts to city councilmembers valued over $300

Campaign Finance

National: “Joaquin Castro Tweeted the Names of Top Trump Donors. Republicans Say It Will Encourage Violence.” by Michael Brice-Saddler (Washington Post) for Philadelphia Inquirer

Elections

California: “Trump Wants to Keep His Tax Returns Private, Asks Courts to Stop California Law” by John Myers for Los Angeles Times

Iowa: “The Iowa State Fair Can Make – or Break – a Presidential Candidate” by Holly Bailey (Washington Post) for Beaumont Enterprise

Ethics

Florida: “Scott Maddox, Florida’s Former Democratic Chair, Pleads Guilty in Probe” by Dara Kam (News Service of Florida) for Tampa Bay Times

Missouri: “Stenger Scandal Prompts St. Louis County Council to Block Pensions for Those Convicted of Corruption” by Chad Davis for St. Louis Public Radio

New York: “When de Blasio’s Daughter Moved, His Security Detail Carried the Futon” by Jeffrey Mayes and J. David Goodman for New York Times

North Carolina: “UNC System Head Didn’t List Corporate Board Seats That Paid Millions on Ethics Forms” by Nick Ochsner for Charlotte Observer

Texas: “Anti-Discrimination Official Removed by Council One Month After Racist Posts Surface” by Luke Ranker for Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Lobbying

National: “Judge Dismisses 1 of 2 Charges Against Greg Craig” by Josh Gerstein and Theodoric Meyer for Politico

Campaign Finance

Arizona: “‘Dark Money’ Expansion Remains on Hold While Court Decides Future of Law” by Howard Fischer (Capitol News Services) for Arizona Daily Star

Elections

National: “DNC Rules Could Expand, Not Shrink, Future Debate Stage” by Zach Montellaro for Politico

Georgia: “How a Criminal Investigation in Georgia Set an Ominous Tone for African American Voters” by John Ward for Yahoo News

Texas: “Texas Faces Turbulent Political Moment” by Reid Wilson for The Hill

Ethics

National: “Cesar Sayoc, Who Mailed Pipe Bombs to Trump Critics, Is Sentenced to 20 Years” by Benjamin Weiser and Ali Watkins for New York Times

Colorado: “Aurora Lawmakers Unanimously Pass Wide-Reaching City Ethics Law” by Madison Lauterbach for Sentinel Colorado

Lobbying

National: “The Darkest Money in Washington: Business groups spend more on advocacy and consulting than lobbying” by Andrew Perez, Abigail Luke, and Tim Zelina for MapLight.org

Washington DC: “Metro Reverses Its Decision to Ban Advertisements for Art Exhibition on the Migrant Crisis” by Peggy McGlone for Washington Post

The state budget bill signed by Gov. DeWine includes a provision removing a tax exemption for attorneys and lobbyists beginning in 2020.

Since 2013, the state business income deduction (BID) has allowed those deriving income from any pass-through entity (e.g., LLCs, LLPs) to pay no tax on the first $250,000 of income and a flat 3% on any income above the threshold.

House Bill 166 excludes otherwise eligible income from legal services provided by an attorney or income from legislative, executive agency, or retirement system lobbying activity.

A professional coalition including the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) is beginning a grassroots campaign to reverse the exclusion.

Campaign Finance

National: “Campaigns Say They’ll Match Political Contributions. It’s Not Clear How They Would Do That” by Jessica Piper for Center for Responsive Politics

Florida: “Curbelo’s Campaign and Office Paid $390K to a Friend Who Is Now His Business Partner” by Alex Daugherty for Miami Herald

Elections

Colorado: “Colorado Approved a National Popular Vote law. Now It Might Be Repealed.” by Emily Davies (Washington Post) for Beaumont Enterprise

Illinois: “Illinois Pushes Millions Toward Securing Its Election Systems” by Rick Pearson (Chicago Tribune) for Government Technology

Ethics

National: “Trump Judges Face Scrutiny Over President’s Cases” by Naomi Jagoda and Jacqueline Thomsen for The Hill

National: “El Paso Shooting Suspect’s Manifesto Echoes Trump’s Language” by Peter Baker and Michael Shear (New York Times) for MSN

Lobbying

National: “How Gun Control Groups Are Catching Up to the N.R.A.” by Reid Epstein, Maggie Astor, and Danny Hakim (New York Times) for MSN

Canada: “No Criminal Charges in Allegations of Illegal Lobbying by Ford Advisers but OPP Refer Case to Ethics Watchdog” by Jim Mahoney for The Globe and Mail

Campaign Finance

National: “Proposed FEC Rule Would Further Constrain Foreign Election Contributions” by Philip Ewing for National Public Radio

California: “Insurance Commissioner Accepted, Returned More Cash from Insurers Than Previously Known” by Jeff McDonald for San Diego Union-Tribune

North Carolina: “Former Rep. Rodney Moore Pleads Guilty in Campaign Finance Case, Gets Probation” by Jim Morrill for Charlotte Observer

Oregon: “Paid Ballots and More Disclosure Are Coming to Oregon Elections” by Dirk VanderHart for Oregon Public Broadcasting

Ethics

Colorado: “New State Ethics Commissioner Debra Johnson Previously Investigated for Workplace Misconduct” by Bente Berkeland for Colorado Public Radio

Florida: “Former Jacksonville Public Defender Gave Away Guns, Money after Failed Re-election” by Andew Pantazi for Florida Times Union

Lobbying

Minnesota: “Veterans Charity Under Scrutiny after DOC Official Suspected of Lobbying for Her Husband” by Dave Orrick for St. Paul Pioneer Press

Wyoming: “Tribal Leaders Knew of Anti-Regulatory Lobbying Effort, Documents and 2 Council Members Say” by Chris Aadland and Nick Reynolds for Casper Star-Tribune

National/Federal

Ex-McConnell Staffers Lobbied on Russian-Backed Kentucky Project
Politico – Natasha Bertrand and Theodoric Meyer | Published: 7/31/2019

Two former top staffers to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have lobbied Congress and the Treasury Department on the development of a new Kentucky aluminum mill backed by the Russian aluminum giant Rusal, according to a new lobbying disclosure. The filing comes as Democrats are pushing the Trump administration to review Rusal’s $200 million investment in the Kentucky project – concerned that the mill will supply the Defense Department – and as McConnell weathers criticism for helping block a congressional effort to stop the investment. The Russian firm was only able to make the investment after it won sanctions relief from penalties the Treasury Department initially imposed in April 2018.

Federal Inquiry of Trump Friend Focused on Foreign Lobbying
MSN – Sharon LaFraniere, Maggie Haberman, William Rashbaum, Ben Protess, and David Kirkpatrick (New York Times) | Published: 7/28/2019

Federal prosecutors are investigating the role of Thomas Barrack, a top campaign fundraiser and close friend of President Trump, and his connections to the foreign lobby. Barrack has been investigated for potentially violating the law requiring people who try to influence American policy or opinion at the direction of foreign governments or entities to disclose their activities to the Justice Department. Questions about Barrack complying with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) arose during former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election before being referred to the U.S, attorney’s office in Brooklyn. Three former Trump campaign aides charged by Mueller acknowledged violating FARA in their guilty pleas: Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, and Michael Flynn.

Federal Judge Rules IRS Donor Guidance Is Unlawful
The Hill – Naomi Jagoda | Published: 7/30/2019

A federal judge blocked an IRS policy change that stopped nonprofit groups from identifying their big donors on federal disclosure forms. U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris ruled the agency did not give proper public notice before it stopped requiring social-welfare groups, labor unions, and business associations to identify donors contributing more than $5,000. Republicans argue the guidance was important to protect taxpayers’ privacy and First Amendment rights. But Democrats have strongly opposed the guidance, arguing it could make it easier for foreign governments to influence U.S. elections through donations to “dark money” groups.

How Fundraisers Convinced Conservatives to Donate $10 Million – Then Kept Almost All of It.
ProPublica – Maggie Severns (Politico) and Derek Willis | Published: 7/26/2019

The Conservative Majority Fund has raised nearly $10 million since 2012 and continues to solicit funds, primarily from thousands of steadfast contributors to conservative causes. But it has made just $48,400 in political contributions to candidates and committees. Its main beneficiaries are the operative Kelley Rogers, who has a history of disputes over allegedly unethical fundraising, and one of the largest conservative fundraising companies, InfoCision, which charged millions of dollars in fundraising fees. The saga of how politically connected fundraisers used one of the nation’s leading conservative organizations as a springboard for fundraising that mainly benefited the fundraisers themselves sheds light on the growing problem of so-called scam PACs, organizations that take advantage of loosened campaign finance laws to reap windfalls for insiders while directing only a small portion of receipts to political advocacy.

It’s Not Just the Russians Anymore as Iranians and Others Turn Up Disinformation Efforts Ahead of 2020 Vote
MSN – Craig Timberg and Tony Romm (Washingtin Post) | Published: 7/25/2019

Twitter has shut down more than 7,000 phony accounts from Iran this year alone. Iran is far from the only nation that has the capacity to wage Russian-style influence operations in the U.S. ahead of next year’s election. That means American voters are likely to be targeted in the coming campaign season by more foreign disinformation than ever before, say those studying such operations. Researchers say it is not often clear exactly who runs these operations, whether it is the governments themselves or some other actors, but they typically echo the talking points of the ruling powers and back their geopolitical goals through tweets, posts, and online videos. The operations in all these countries, meanwhile, have the means and potentially the motives to seek to influence an American election shaping up as among the most hotly contested in decades.

Low in Cash and Polls, 2020 Democrats Get Creative with Accounting
New York Times – Shane Goldmacher | Published: 7/30/2019

Staff members for a half dozen Democratic presidential candidates did not receive their final June paycheck that month. Instead, their campaigns nudged payday into July, an accounting maneuver that obscured payroll costs and temporarily made it look like candidates had more cash on hand than they did. That does not violate campaign laws, but it is a symptom of the high stakes of the 2020 money race and a crowded field with some candidates struggling to stay alive ahead of the second round of debates. In a presidential primary with many Democratic hopefuls competing for campaign money, a candidate’s viability is often judged by donors, the news media, and even rivals with a cursory look at campaign balance sheets.

Meet the Man Who Created the Fake Presidential Seal – a Former Republican Fed Up with Trump
MSN – Reis Thebault and Michael Brice-Saddler (Washington Post) | Published: 7/25/2019

Graphic designer Charles Leazott used to be a proud Republican. But he felt Donald Trump’s GOP was no longer his party. So, he created a mock presidential seal to prove his point. He substituted the arrows in the eagle’s claw for a set of golf clubs, a nod to the new president’s favorite pastime. In the other set of talons, he swapped the olive branch for a wad of cash and replaced the United States’ Latin motto with a Spanish insult. Then is inserted a two-headed imperial bird lifted straight from the Russian coat of arms. The seal was not meant for a wide audience. But then, years later, it wound up stretched across a huge screen behind an unwitting President Trump as he spoke to a conference packed with hundreds of his young supporters.

Republicans Rattled After Surge of Retirements
Politico – Melanie Zanona | Published: 7/31/2019

The House GOP caucus has been hit by a wave of retirements over the past few weeks, but some Republicans fear the worst is yet to come. With the GOP relegated to the minority for the first time in eight years, a mix of veteran and vulnerable members have decided to call it quits instead of sticking around to see whether the party wins back power in 2020. Most of the seats being vacated thus far are in solidly red districts, which Republicans will have no problems keeping. But at least two of the races have become more competitive in the wake of the retirement announcements, and more vulnerable members could jump ship if they do not want to duke it out another term, especially if they are pessimistic about the GOP’s prospects.

Should Regulators Let Jet-Setting Tom Price Use Campaign Cash for Nonprofit Travel and Expenses?
Center for Public Integrity – Laura Zornosa | Published: 7/25/2019

Former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned in 2017 amid criticism of his taxpayer-funded private charter flights. Now, Price wants the FEC to allow his new nonprofit group to use $1.7 million worth of leftover campaign money from his old congressional committee, a move that would create a path for former congressional candidates to transfer surplus campaign cash to 501(c)(4) “social welfare” groups, a type of nonprofit that operates with fewer restrictions than charities, though Price’s lawyers promise the group would not pay salaries to Price or his family members or use the money for political purposes.

Socialism Goes Local: DSA candidates are winning in big cities
Governing – Alan Greenblatt | Published: 7/24/2019

Around the country this year, democratic socialists and other ultra-left candidates have met with success in city council races. Several such candidates have already won seats in Chicago and Denver, while others are running this fall in Los Angeles and San Francisco. In Seattle, Kshama Sawant, a member of Socialist Alternative, which is a democratic socialist party, is seeking reelection to the city council against concerted opposition from business groups. These candidates do not all hold the same positions, but they are at the leading edge of a trend. As in national politics, local candidates on the left, including many mainstream Democrats, are moving further left.

Texts, Sex, Lies and Corruption: Here’s what has forced governors out of office
New York Times – Adeel Hassan | Published: 7/25/2019

Gov. Ricardo Rosselló of Puerto Rico announced his resignation after an uprising and looming impeachment proceedings had derailed his administration. Though residents said they were fed up by years of corruption, the tipping point proved to be the publication of hundreds of pages of crass and often profane chat messages among Rosselló and 11 men in his inner circle. The texts confirmed what many Puerto Ricans thought, that they held disdain for the public. The vast majority of governors in the U.S. fulfill their terms, though many have resigned to take a cabinet position, or to join the Senate. Since World War II, two have left governor’s mansions to move to the White House. But a few have met ignominious ends in office.

The Job of Campaigning Is Extremely Family-Unfriendly
The Atlantic – Joe Pinsker | Published: 7/27/2019

The FEC ruled that M. J. Hegar, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Texas, can spend campaign funds on child care for her two kids while she is running for office. The ruling builds on the FEC’s determination that Liuba Grechen Shirley, who at the time was running for a House seat in New York, could do the same. Campaign finance laws prohibit candidates from drawing from their own political funds for “personal use,” and legally, it was not clear whether child-care expenses associated with campaigning fell under that category. Now, whether candidates have to take on child-care costs in order to run (as Grechen Shirley did) or keep paying for child care as they already had been (as is the case with Hegar), they can cover those expenses knowing they are not running afoul of federal regulations.

Top House Lawyer Takes Center Stage in Legal Battles Against Trump
Politico – Andrew Desiderio and Kyle Cheney | Published: 7/31/2019

U.S. Reps. Jerry Nadler and Adam Schiff are the public faces of the House Democrats’ battles with Donald Trump, appearing on television regularly to harangue the president for his resistance to their investigations. But the job of fighting the president in federal court – and, lately, winning – has been left to a lesser-known figure: House General Counsel Douglas Letter. Last year, Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked him to take on a new and unfamiliar role as the guardian of congressional power. What Letter may not have realized when he took the job was that he would find himself in the vanguard of an unprecedented constitutional power struggle between House Democrats, who are weighing whether to impeach Trump, and a litigious president blocking congressional oversight in an unprecedented way.

Trump Fundraiser Thomas Barrack Jr. Lobbied for Saudi Nuclear Deal, New Report Alleges
USA Today – Deirdre Shesgreen | Published: 7/29/2019

The Trump administration’s move to sell sensitive nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia took shape even before the president took office and was championed by Trump’s longtime personal friend and fundraiser, Thomas Barrack Jr., according to a new report by congressional Democrats. The report details how Barrack used his personal connections to the president and other Trump administration officials to win support for the controversial Saudi nuclear deal, at the same time he was seeking funding from the Saudis and the United Arab Emirates for a bid to purchase Westinghouse Electric Company, the only U.S. manufacturer of large-scale nuclear reactors.

From the States and Municipalities

Arizona – Arizona State Senator Criticized for Remarks on Immigrants, Birthrates of Hispanic Women
Arizona Republic – Kyra Haas | Published: 7/26/2019

Arizona Sen. Sylvia Allen is facing criticism following recent comments she made about immigration, white birth rates, and the “browning” of America. During a speech to Republicans, Allen said America would “look like South American countries very quickly” and warned immigrants were “flooding” the United States at a rate that did not allow for them to “learn the principles of our country.” In her comments, Allen noted declining white birth rates compared to Hispanic birth rates, saying it was an issue “because of immigration.” She referred to a “browning of America,” a term she attributed to a well-known demographer, though he is not critical of immigration in his research.

California – California Insurance Commissioner Met with CEO Who Has Cases Pending Before His Department
Sacramento Bee – Hannah Wylie | Published: 7/29/2019

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, under fire for accepting campaign contributions from insurance executives and their spouses, has yet to release his office calendars in response to public requests. But Lara acknowledged he did meet with an executive whose company has multiple complaints against it in cases before his department. Lara said he met with Steven Menzies, who heads Applied Underwriters, a workers’ compensation agency that the department formerly settled with for “bait and switch” marketing tactics in 2017. Berkshire Hathaway is in the process of selling the company, a sale Lara must approve. Lara, who was serving as his own campaign treasurer, accepted $46,500 in donations to his 2022 reelection campaign in April from out-of-state executives with ties to the company.

California – Sitting Judge Who Promoted His Candidacy for Calif. Attorney General Barred from Bench
San Francisco Chronicle – Bob Egelko | Published: 7/31/2019

The California Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Steven Bailey, the former judge who ran for state attorney general last year and then was permanently barred from returning to the bench by a state commission because he used his judicial position to promote his political campaign. Bailey, a former Superior Court judge, argued the Commission on Judicial Performance violated his freedom of speech by enforcing rules that prohibit judges from using their positions to run for non-judicial office. The commission disagreed, and the state’s high court, which has the last word on judicial discipline in California, denied review of his appeal without comment.

California – Trump’s Tax Returns Required Under New California Election Law
Los Angeles Times – John Myers | Published: 7/30/2019

President Trump will be ineligible for California’s primary ballot next year unless he discloses his tax returns under a state law that immediately took effect, an unprecedented mandate that is almost certain to spark a court fight and might encourage other states to adopt their own unconventional rules for presidential candidates. The law requires all presidential candidates to submit five years of income tax filings. State elections officials will post the financial documents online, although certain private information must first be redacted.

Florida – Ethics Complaint Filed Against CFO Jimmy Patronis for Releasing Harassment Allegation
Tampa Bay Times – Lawrence Mower | Published: 7/26/2019

An activist is asking for an investigation into Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis for releasing an ethics complaint in a possible violation of state law. Emma Collum, an attorney and president of Women’s March Florida, filed the complaint with the state Commission on Ethics. Patronis sent to the media a redacted copy of a woman’s sexual harassment complaint against former Office of Financial Regulation Commissioner Ronald Rubin, along with a request for Rubin to resign. The complaint form was marked “confidential and exempt” under state law, citing a statute that requires employee complaints to remain secret until they’re investigated. Breaking it is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail.

Florida – Modified Sentences and ‘Rocket Dockets’ Aim to Ensure Felons Can Still Register to Vote
Washington Post – Lori Rozsa | Published: 7/30/2019

Florida judges and prosecutors are working with felons and public defenders to find ways to register former inmates to vote, a process approved by voters last year that Republican legislators have made more difficult. To work around a law passed in the spring, which requires individuals to pay all fines, fees, and restitution before they can register, court officials in cities such as Miami and Tampa are modifying sentences and making plans to allow some debts to be converted to community service. In smaller towns, volunteers are holding fundraisers to pay off penalties for residents. Voting rights activists applaud these efforts are worried a patchwork of changes may confound hundreds of thousands of potential voters in the months leading up to the state’s March 17 presidential primary.

Florida – Suspended Commissioner Scott Maddox to Plead Guilty to Some Charges in Public Corruption Case
Tallahassee Democrat – Jeff Burlew | Published: 7/31/2019

Scott Maddox, whose long political career in Tallahassee came crashing down after his indictment on public corruption charges, is expected to plead guilty to some of the counts against him. Attorneys for the suspended city commissioner and former mayor filed a notice that both he and his close friend Paige Carter-Smith will change their pleas. It is a major development in the federal government’s long-running investigation into public corruption in Tallahassee and a possible signal that Maddox and Carter-Smith are cooperating with authorities to try to get their sentences reduced. If they are cooperating, it is possible the FBI and prosecutors are using their help to build cases against other prominent politicians and businesspeople.

Hawaii – The Kealoha Corruption Case Cost These Two Investigators More Than Their Jobs
Honolulu Civil Beat – Nick Grube | Published: 7/30/2019

Honolulu Ethics Commission Executive Director Chuck Totto and Letha DeCaires, a former police officer who was working for the commission, expected a backlash from their investigation of then-Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his wife, who was a city prosecutor. They were a politically connected power couple that had access to every level of Honolulu law enforcement. There was outside pressure from Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration, and Totto and DeCairs were ousted from their jobs after their commission, which was supposed to support their review of the Kealohas, turned on them. They also faced a lawsuit that targeted them both professionally and personally.

Illinois – How Will Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Ethics Rules Affect Aldermen Like Edward Burke? It’s Not Entirely Clear.
Chicago Tribune – Gregory Pratt, John Byrne, and Juan Perez, Jr. | Published: 7/26/2019

The ethics ordinance passed by the city council recently that further restricts the outside work aldermen can do was seen as a signature win for Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s reform agenda. But it is not yet clear how the ordinance will play out or how the new limits on private employment will affect aldermen like Edward Burke, who has long had a lucrative sideline as a property tax attorney. One question that might need to be addressed is whether council members like Burke, whose involvement with a law firm largely prompted the provision, need to fully divest themselves of their ownership stake in their firm, or whether they could comply with the law by not working on cases that create conflicts with the city and also refrain from taking money from the firm’s work on those cases.

Illinois – Politically Connected Ex-Teamsters Boss Pleads Guilty to Extorting Chicago Film Studio, Agrees to Cooperate
Chicago Tribune – Jason Meisner | Published: 7/30/2019

Longtime Chicago union boss John Coli Sr. does not seem like the type to cooperate with authorities. A politically connected fixture in the Teamsters, has dodged controversy for years, from suspicious appointments to state boards to allegations of organized crime ties, often accusing his accusers of using overzealous investigative tactics. But In pleading guilty to corruption charges stemming from an extortion scheme, Coli agreed to cooperate with federal authorities in any ongoing investigations, including “complete and truthful testimony’ in any criminal or civil proceeding. Coli for years used his national position with the Teamsters to hold sway with some of the city and state’s most powerful elected officials.

Iowa – Iowa Restrictions on Lawmaker-to-Lobbyist Revolving Door Praised
The Gazette – James Lynch | Published: 7/25/2019

Iowa is being praised for its restrictions to prevent former state lawmakers from becoming lobbyists for two years after leaving office. Overall, Iowa has the best “revolving-door” policy, with a two-year cooling off period that applies to both legislative and executive officials and staff, and broadly prohibits both “lobbying activity” as well as “lobbying contacts” during the waiting period, according to an analysis of state ethics laws by Public Integrity. The restriction on the lawmaker-to-lobbyist transformation was among ethics changes the state Legislature enacted following a 1990s scandal involving the deposit of local government property tax receipts in an investment scheme known as Iowa Trust.

Minnesota – Complaint: Corrections official lobbied for husband’s group on state time
Minnesota Public Radio – Briana Bierschbach, Brian Bakst, and Nina Moini | Published: 7/25/2019

A top Minnesota prison official who resigned recently had been under investigation for weeks for allegedly lobbying on behalf of her husband’s nonprofit and for leaking private, internal data, according to newly released records. The redacted investigative documents were released by the Department of Corrections after former Deputy Commissioner Sarah Walker suddenly departed from her post to seek “unique opportunities” at the local and national level. Allegations against Walker include leaking of information about a co-worker’s sexual assault by a corrections employee. Investigators were also looking into concerns that Walker lobbied privately for legislation related to her husband’s nonprofit while on state time.

Missouri – Former Missouri Public Safety Director Abused State Contracting Process, Audit Says
Kansas City Star – Crystal Thomas | Published: 7/31/2019

The director of Missouri’s Department of Public Safety under former Gov. Eric Greitens abused the state’s contracting process to award an organization that he was previously affiliated with, according to a state audit. It also found Charles Juden, who served as director from the beginning of 2017 to August of last year, did not claim leave when taking personal trips to Florida to watch the Daytona 500. Before Juden became director, the Missouri Highway Patrol managed fingerprinting technology for local law enforcement agencies at no cost to the state. After he took over, the Missouri Police Chiefs Charitable Foundation was selected to manage the $1.25 million technology contract, at a cost of $58,000. Prior to his appointment, Juden was the foundation’s chairperson, which the audit said posed a “conflict-o- interest.”

Missouri – Northwest Plaza Owners Ask Court to Quash Subpoenas in St. Louis County Council Inquiry
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Jeremy Kohler | Published: 7/31/2019

The owners of the former Northwest Plaza shopping center in St. Louis filed a lawsuit seeking to block subpoenas issued to them in an inquiry into the county’s lease for office space at their complex. Robert and P. David Glarner, who own the complex, claimed they should not be forced to defend themselves to the county council at a time when federal prosecutors are investigating whether crimes were committed in their dealings with former County Executive Steve Stenger that resulted in a 20-year lease. If the court does not quash the county subpoena outright, the Glarners claimed, it should wait until the conclusion of the federal investigation. The Glarners’ lawsuit also claims the council’s ethics committee lacked authority to compel their cooperation.

Nebraska – Nebraska Lets Legislators Shift from Lawmaking to Lobbying
AP News – Grant Schulte | Published: 7/28/2019

State officials in Nebraska who want to profit off their government experience and connections after leaving office face virtually no obstacles in becoming lobbyists, unlike most other states that bar their leaders from immediately switching role. Nebraska is among seven states with no restrictions on former lawmakers, governors, or other elected officials working to influence their former colleagues, according to the analysis by Public Citizen. The result is clear during the legislative session, when on most days a dozen or so senators-turned-lobbyists gather outside the chamber, ready to talk with lawmakers about bills that could help or hurt their clients.

New Mexico – Legislative Leaders Take Command of Campaign Resources
AP News – Morgan Lee | Published: 7/29/2019

New rules for funneling resources toward political races in New Mexico may provide legislative leaders and political parties with a stronger hand in influencing the outcomes of elections, as Democrats assert their control over the Legislature and key statewide elected offices. The Democratic House speaker and Republican minority leader registered specialized political committees that can command vast resources and make unlimited non-cash contributions to campaigns. The so-called “legislative caucus committees” can collect five times as much cash per donor as other New Mexico political committees.

New York – A Luxury Box at Citi Field, an M.T.A. Contract and $188,000 for Cuomo
New York Times – Emma Fitzsimmons, J. David Goodman, and Augustin Armendarez | Published: 7/28/2019

Since New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo took office in 2011, his campaigns have received more than $3 million from Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) contractors and industry groups that represent them. New York does not limit contributions from contractors that do business with state entities. Donors with ties to the MTA, including board members, their employers, and transit unions, have given another $1.5 million. There is no evidence the MTA awarded contracts as a reward to Cuomo’s donors, but people in the industry see political contributions as important for their business.

New York – Abuse Victim’s 3 Billboards Called for Stronger Laws. Then the State Showed Up.
New York Times – Vivian Wang | Published: 7/31/2019

The New York Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) is investigating Kat Sullivan, a sexual abuse survivor, for allegedly lobbying while she was not registered. She took out a billboard ad near the Capitol urging lawmakers to pass the Child Victims Act and set up a website on the issue. Sullivan believed she was using her own time and money to make her voice as an abuse survivor heard. She was shocked when JCOPE afterward told her she faced a fine of more than $40,000 if she did not register. Sullivan’s case is unusual; few unpaid advocates spend more than $5,000 on an issue, the annual threshold for registering in the state. It also illuminates a larger dilemma facing lawmakers across the country: who counts as a lobbyist in the age of social media and renewed grassroots involvement, when it is easier than ever for people to make themselves heard?

New York – Potential Conflicts of Interest the Real Reason Lhota Left the MTA
Politico – Dana Rubenstein | Published: 7/30/2019

When Joe Lhota, the embattled chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, resigned last fall, he and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo omitted the real reason for the departure. While Cuomo and Lhota painted the resignation as a natural development in what was always intended to be a limited engagement, Lhota actually quit because the Joint Commission on Public Ethics had deemed him too burdened by potential conflicts-of-interest to continue serving as the head of the country’s biggest transit network. The cause of Lhota’s departure emerged in his resignation letter, which the governor’s office initially declined to provide under the state’s public information law.

North Carolina – Bladen County Political Operative Faces New Perjury, Obstruction of Justice Charges
Raleigh News and Observer – Carli Brosseau, Josh Shaffer, Dan Kane, and Will Doran | Published: 7/30/2019

Leslie McCrae Dowless, a Republican political operative who worked for former congressional candidate Mark Harris, faces felony charges in connection with the 2018 general election in North Carolina. Dowless was previously indicted on charges related to an absentee ballot harvesting operation he allegedly ran in 2016 and during the 2018 primary. North Carolina law allows volunteers and campaign workers to collect absentee ballot request forms, but not the ballots themselves. According to the most recent indictment, Dowless directed his workers to pick up ballots and sometimes to indicate falsely with a signature that they had watched the person cast their vote.

North Carolina – NC Elections Board Chairman Resigns, Apologizes Following Sexist Joke at Convention
Raleigh News and Observer – Will Doran | Published: 7/30/2019

State Board of Elections Chairperson Bob Cordle resigned following reports about a joke he made at a conference with hundreds of elections officials from across North Carolina. Cordle told a lengthy joke about women, sex, and cows that many in the audience found inappropriate. His current tenure on the board has been short but eventful, as it faced issues involving election fraud and voting machines. The board also dismissed the elections director and replaced her.

Oklahoma – Lawmaker’s Firm Reaps Payment to Help Throw Speaker’s Ball
Oklahoma Watch – Trevor Brown | Published: 7/26/2019

A company headed by a Republican House member was paid tens of thousands of dollars to help throw a lavish party in honor of Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall, raising conflict-of-interest questions. An Oklahoma Ethics Commission filing shows Poligram, an event planning and management firm founded and run by state Rep. Mike Osburn, was paid $40,000 in operating expenses related to planning the 2019 Oklahoma Speaker’s Ball. The event traditionally attracts lawmakers, lobbyists, business leaders and advocates as they prepare to kick off the legislative session each year. Minority Floor Leader David Perryman said privately funded events that benefit politicians are “rife with the potential for political favor and influence.”

Pennsylvania – Longest-Serving Philly Sheriff Is Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for $675K Bribery Scheme
Philadelphia Inquirer – Craig McCoy | Published: 8/1/2019

Former Philadelphia Sheriff John Green was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to selling his office for more than $675,000 in benefits, ranging from a secret job for his wife to a renovated and price-reduced home to hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions. Prosecutors, who brought a sweeping indictment against Green in 2015, said he essentially had sold the office to secret benefactor James Davis, who Green rewarded with $35 million in contracts to advertise and run the office’s foreclosed property sales, often with nothing in writing. In return, Davis plied the sheriff with bribes and illegal campaign contributions.

Rhode Island – Aponte Pleads No Contest to Embezzlement, Must Resign from City Council
Providence Journal – Katie Mulvaney | Published: 7/29/2019

Providence City Councilperson Luis Aponte admitted to embezzling $13,942 from his campaign account and, in doing so, agreed to resign. He must also file outstanding campaign finance reports within 60 days. Prosecutors said Aponte used the money to pay for personal expenses such as Netflix and XBox Live, iTunes, and cable bills. Councilperson David Salvatore called on his colleagues to pass an ordinance tightening ethics requirements and prohibiting indicted people from holding leadership positions. He noted that Aponte ran for reelection in 2018 while under indictment.

Texas – ‘They Will Have to Resign’: Texas lawmakers allege House Speaker said he’d pull credentials from media outlet
Dallas News – Lauren McGaughy and James Barragan | Published: 8/1/2019

State lawmakers who listened to a conversation that a conservative activist secretly recorded with top GOP leadership said Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen suggested he would take floor access away from a credentialed media outlet. Reps. Jonathan Stickland, Steve Toth, and Travis Clardy said they listened to the audio of the meeting between Bonnen, House Republican Caucus Chairperson Dustin Burrows, and Michael Quinn Sullivan of Empower Texans, a group that targets GOP lawmakers it deems not conservative enough. Bonnen said he could strip media credentials from Scott Braddock, editor of the Quorum Report, and give media access to Empower Texans’ writers at its website, the lawmakers said. Sullivan had previously alleged the credentials were offered if Empower Texans agreed to target a list of 10 Republicans the speaker wanted ousted.

Wisconsin – A Wisconsin Lawmaker Who’s Paralyzed Isn’t Allowed to Call into Meetings; He Says That Keeps Him from Doing His Job
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – Patrick Marley | Published: 7/29/2019

Republicans who control the Wisconsin Assembly will not allow a paralyzed Democratic lawmaker who is in a wheelchair to phone into committee meetings. Rep. Jimmy Anderson said enforcing the rule keeps him from performing his job as well as he should. He said the rule discriminates against him because he has difficulty getting to some meetings because of health reasons. “I think it’s disrespectful for someone to be asking questions over a microphone or a speakerphone when individuals are actually taking the time out of their day to come and testify in person,” Speaker Robin Vos said. Anderson said he is considering suing if Assembly leaders do not change their stance. He is researching whether he would qualify as an employee under the Americans with Disabilities Act since he is a lawmaker, not an employee.